West's Encyclopedia of American Law | Per Se

[Latin, In itself.] Simply as such; in its own nature without reference to its relation.

In the law of DEFAMATION, slander per se refers to certain language that is actionable as slander in and of itself without proof of special damages, such as the situation in which a person is falsely accused of having committed a crime. Defamation per se is in contradistinction to defamation per quod, which requires proof of special damages.