nepotism

[ nep-uh-tiz-uhm ]

See synonyms for nepotism on Thesaurus.com

noun

patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics: She was accused of nepotism when she made her nephew an officer of the firm.

Origin of nepotism

From the Italian word nepotismo, dating back to 1655–65. See nephew, -ism

Other words from nepotism

ne·pot·ic [nuh-pot-ik], /nəˈpɒt ɪk/, nep·o·tis·tic, nep·o·tis·ti·cal, adjective
nep·o·tist, noun
an·ti·nep·o·tism, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use nepotism in a sentence

You might put this down to just nepotism and name recognition.
Why We Judge People Based on Their Relatives - Facts So Romantic | Diana Fleischman | November 11, 2020 | Nautilus
A terribly weak economy, massive youth bulge and autocratic-nepotistic rule set him up as a prime candidate for revolution.
Al Qaeda’s Latest Foothold | Bruce Riedel | March 22, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
Jobs are granted, contracts signed and tenders won on an open and strict nepotistic basis and no one finds it odd or wrong.
After the Rain | Sam Vaknin

British Dictionary definitions for nepotism

nepotism

/ (ˈnɛpəˌtɪzəm) /

noun

favouritism shown to relatives or close friends by those with power or influence

Origin of nepotism

C17: from Italian nepotismo, from nepote nephew, from the former papal practice of granting special favours to nephews or other relatives

Derived forms of nepotism

nepotic (nɪˈpɒtɪk) or nepotistic, adjective
nepotist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for nepotism

nepotism

[ (nep-uh-tiz-uhm) ]

Favoritism granted to relatives or close friends, without regard to their merit. Nepotism usually takes the form of employing relatives or appointing them to high office.

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