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sycophant

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
syc·o·phant  (sk-fnt, sk-)
n.
A servile self-seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people.

[Latin scophanta, informer, slanderer, from Greek skophants, informer, from skon phainein, to show a fig (probably originally said of denouncers of theft or exportation of figs) : skon, fig + phainein, to show; see bh-1 in Indo-European roots.]

syco·phantic (-fntk), syco·phanti·cal (-t-kl) adj.
syco·phanti·cal·ly adv.

sycophant [ˈsɪkəfənt]
n
a person who uses flattery to win favour from individuals wielding influence; toady
[from Latin sȳcophanta, from Greek sukophantēs, literally: the person showing a fig, apparently referring to the fig sign used in making an accusation, from sukon fig + phainein to show; sense probably developed from ``accuser'' to ``informer, flatterer'']
sycophancy  n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.sycophantsycophant - a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
apple polisher, bootlicker, fawner, groveler, groveller, truckler - someone who humbles himself as a sign of respect; who behaves as if he had no self-respect
adulator, flatterer - a person who uses flattery
goody-goody - a person who behaves extremely well in order to please a superior

sycophant
noun crawler, yes man, toady, slave, parasite, cringer, fawner, hanger-on, sponger, brown-noser (taboo slang), flatterer, truckler, lickspittle, ass-kisser (U.S. & Canad. taboo slang), apple polisher (U.S. slang), bootlicker (informal), toadeater (rare) a dictator surrounded by sycophants
Translations
sycophant [ˈsɪkəfənt] Nadulador(a) m/f
sycophant [ˈsɪkəfænt] nflagorneur/euse m/f
sycophant
nKriecher(in) m(f), → Speichellecker(in) m(f) (inf)
sycophant [ˈsɪkəfənt] nadulatore/trice
sycophant [ˈsɪkəfənt] nadulatore/trice


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Yet there was none of the sycophant or fawner in Billings; ordinarily I do not wax enthusiastic about men, but this man Billings comes as close to my conception of what a regular man should be as any I have ever met.
  So the base sycophant with joy descries
tis bittiful"--just like a genteel sycophant in a real drawing- room.
 
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