underling

American  

[uhn-der-ling] / ˈʌn dər lɪŋ /

noun

1. a subordinate, especially one of slight importance.

   Synonyms:

   hireling, lackey, flunky, menial

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underling British  

/ ˈʌndəlɪŋ /

noun

1. a subordinate or lackey

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Etymology

Origin of underling

1125–75; Middle English. See under-, -ling ¹

Example Sentences

Days before Gómez’s transfer in August, special forces left the prison in a convoy of armored vehicles headed to Mexico City as a decoy, passing through areas where Gómez commanded loyal underlings.

From The Wall Street Journal

Draganov treats him like a grizzly bear, hissing “Don’t move!” to an underling when Korpi makes eye contact with their car.

From Los Angeles Times

Under the cover of darkness, an underling used satellite imagery to pick his way through vineyards near the prison before tossing a pillowcase over the walls.

From Los Angeles Times

In his statement, he said the comments made to the undercover reporter were "empty words and not a true account of the underling incident".

From BBC

The president typically has no loyalty to his underlings.

From Salon

Related Words

• attendant