Sycophant
/ˈsɪkəfænt/noun
A flatterer who uses insincere praise to gain favor.
Did you know?In Classical Athens, the original Greek term referred to someone accused of bringing false charges, and later writers connected it—perhaps by folk etymology—to people who denounced fig-exporters, turning a civic accusation into a word for deceitful flattery.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
sykophántēs
“an informer, slanderer, or false accuser”
Late Greek
Greek
sykophantía
“the practice of false accusation or informery”
16th Century
English
sycophant
“a slanderer or informer”
17th–18th Century
English
sycophant
“a servile flatterer who curries favor”