sycophant
[ sik-uh-fuhnt, -fant, sahy-kuh- ]
/ ˈsɪk ə fənt, -ˌfænt, ˈsaɪ kə- /
noun
a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.
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Origin of sycophant
1530–40; <Latin sȳcophanta<Greek sȳkophántēs informer, equivalent to sŷko(n) fig + phan- (stem of phaínein to show) + -tēs agentive suffix
SYNONYMS FOR sycophant
OTHER WORDS FROM sycophant
syc·o·phan·tic, syc·o·phan·ti·cal, syc·o·phant·ish, adjectivesyc·o·phan·ti·cal·ly, syc·o·phant·ish·ly, adverbsyc·o·phant·ism, nounWords nearby sycophant
sycoma, sycon, syconium, syconoid, sycophancy, sycophant, sycophantic, sycosiform, sycosis, Sydenham, Sydenham's chorea
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for sycophant
British Dictionary definitions for sycophant
sycophant
/ (ˈsɪkəfənt) /
noun
a person who uses flattery to win favour from individuals wielding influence; toady
Derived forms of sycophant
sycophancy, nounWord Origin for sycophant
C16: from Latin sӯcophanta, 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''
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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