sycophant
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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sycophancynoun
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sycophantismnoun
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sycophanticadjective
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sycophanticaladjective
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sycophantishadjective
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sycophanticallyadverb
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sycophantishlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sycophant
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin sȳcophanta, from Greek sȳkophántēs “informer,” from sŷko(n) “fig” + phan- (stem of phaínein “to show”) + -tēs, agent noun suffix
Explanation
A sycophant is a person who tries to win favor from wealthy or influential people by flattering them. Also known as brown-nosers, teacher's pets or suck-ups. Sycophant is from Latin sycophanta, from Greek sykophantēs, from sykon "fig" and phainein "to show, make known." The original sense was that of an informer, a person who gives information about criminal activities. "Showing the fig" was a vulgar gesture made by sticking the thumb between two fingers. The gesture was used to taunt an opponent or to make an accusation against someone.
Vocabulary lists containing sycophant
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“A sycophant with no combat experience has to tell Xi what Xi wants to hear,” wrote Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon official who met Zhang when he visited the U.S. in 2012.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026
Peeking over her shoulder at her notes, he tuts, “Doesn’t sycophant have an ‘o’?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2025
Then, referring to the man who has replaced him as premier, he adds "not like Li Qiang", who he describes as a sycophant.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2023
What made the jokes about Richter so gently absurd is that no one has more persuasively countered the popular image of the sidekick as a pathetic sycophant.
From New York Times ● Jun. 23, 2021
Apparently, the man had gone from servant to sycophant.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
The new boss will want to make a mark—almost any mark will do—to intimidate top performers and encourage sycophants.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
Among Jay’s core group of sycophants and servants are the dependable Laura Dern as his publicist and Adam Sandler as his dutiful manager, Ron.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2025
And it is all being fed by sycophants and henchmen who have created a self-reinforcing feedback loop.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2025
And while at first Oliver rules over a pack of sycophants, the power shifts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2025
Around him was a raucous entourage of assistants, sycophants, distant relatives and assorted hangers-on.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
