badmouth/ˈbæd.maʊθ/EtymologyCalque of a Mande term, perhaps Vai [Term?] or Mandinka [Term?], which entered English via Gullah [Term?]. Compare Japanese 悪口(わるぐち) (waruguchi, “badmouthing”), which is a compound of 悪(わる) (waru, “bad, wicked”) and 口(くち) (kuchi, “mouth”).badmouth means to criticize or malign, especially unfairly or spitefully. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 85 out of 100.badmouth is pronounced /ˈbæd.maʊθ/.verbTo criticize or malign, especially unfairly or spitefully.“[…] those cross-Atlantic aficionados who persistently idolize the British theater and bad-mouth Broadway.”