slander vs defamation

slander and defamation both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
slander	Yes	No	Yes	No
defamation	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, slander and defamation are synonyms defined as:

slander and defamation: an abusive attack on a person's character or good name

Other synonyms of slander include aspersion, calumny, denigration.

As nouns, defamation is a hypernym of slander; that is, defamation is a word with a broader meaning than slander:

slander: words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
defamation: a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions

Other hypernyms of slander include calumniation, calumny, hatchet job, obloquy, traducement, speech act.

slander (noun)	defamation (noun)
an abusive attack on a person's character or good name	an abusive attack on a person's character or good name
words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another	a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions

slander (verb)	defamation (verb)
charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone