sycophancy

[ sik-uh-fuhn-see, -fan-, sahy-kuh- ]
See synonyms for sycophancy on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. self-seeking or servile flattery.

  2. the character or conduct of a sycophant.

Origin of sycophancy

1
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin sȳcophantia “trickery,” from Greek sȳkophantía “dishonest prosecution,” from sȳkophánt(ēs) “informer” (see sycophant) + -ia -y3

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024