What defines a defamatory statement?

A defamatory statement is primarily defined as one that negatively affects the reputation of the plaintiff. In the context of defamation law, a statement must cause harm to a person's reputation in order to qualify as defamatory. This means that the statement must be of such a nature that it would lower the individual in the estimation of the community or deter others from having a favorable opinion of them.

While the other options touch on aspects related to defamation, they do not accurately capture the core definition. For example, merely being an opinion does not constitute defamation unless it presents false information as a fact. A statement being true or false is important for determining liability, as truthful statements cannot be deemed defamatory. Additionally, while a statement communicated to the public could be relevant in defamation cases, the defining characteristic of a defamatory statement remains its harmful impact on the individual's reputation. Thus, the focus is rightly on how the statement affects the plaintiff's reputation, making the correct answer the one that highlights this critical element.