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sycophant
[ sik-uh-fuhnt, -fant, sahy-kuh- ]
/ ˈsɪk ə fənt, -ˌfænt, ˈsaɪ kə- /
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noun
a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.
OTHER WORDS FOR sycophant
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Origin of sycophant
1530–40; <Latin syÌ„cophanta<Greek syÌ„kophántÄ“s informer, equivalent to sÅ·ko(n) fig + phan- (stem of phaÃnein to show) + -tÄ“s agentive suffix
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. 2022
How to use sycophant in a sentence
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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