sycophant

sycophant
I
(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)
n. parasite, toady, bootlicker, lickspittle, flatterer, fawner, truckler. See servility, flattery.
II
(Roget's IV) n.
Syn. parasite, leech, toady, flatterer, fawner, hanger-on, toadeater, tufthunter, lickspittle, flunkey, adulator, timeserver, cringer, crawler, truckler, slave, puppet, cat's-paw, groveler, spaniel, lap-dog, sniveler, apple polisher, gofer, yes-man, bootlicker, brown-nose*, stooge, back-scratcher, flunky, smoothie, soft-soap artist, baloneyer, apple-saucer, doormat.
Ant. ruler*, master, dictator.
III
(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) (VOCABULARY WORD) n.
[SIK uh funt]
one who flatters and kisses up to others to gain their favor.
The boss had a retinue of sycophants and yes-men.
SYN.: toady, flatterer, *brownnose, *bootlicker, yes-man, fawner, groveler, *flunky, *apple-polisher, parasite.
IV
(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun One who flatters another excessively: adulator, courtier, flatterer, toady. Informal: apple-polisher. See OVER, PRAISE.

English dictionary for students. 2013.

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  • Sycophant — Syc o*phant, n. [L. sycophanta a slanderer, deceiver, parasite, Gr. ? a false accuser, false adviser, literally, a fig shower; ? a fig + ? to show: cf. F. sycophante. The reason for the name is not certainly known. See {Phenomenon}.] 1. An… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sycophant — Syc o*phant, v. t. [CF. L. sycophantari to deceive, to trick, Gr. ?.] 1. To inform against; hence, to calumniate. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Sycophanting and misnaming the work of his adversary. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. To play the sycophant toward;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sycophant — Syc o*phant, v. i. To play the sycophant. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sycophant — index parasite Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • sycophant — 1530s (in L. form sycophanta), informer, talebearer, slanderer, from L. sycophanta, from Gk. sykophantes, originally one who shows the fig, from sykon fig + phanein to show. Showing the fig was a vulgar gesture made by sticking the thumb between… …   Etymology dictionary

  • sycophant — *parasite, favorite, toady, lickspittle, bootlicker, hanger on, leech, sponge, sponger Analogous words: blandisher, cajoler, wheedler (see corresponding verbs at COAX): fawner, truckler (see corresponding verbs at FAWN) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • sycophant — [n] person who caters to another adulator, backscratcher*, backslapper*, bootlicker*, brownnoser*, doormat*, fan, fawner, flatterer, flunky*, groupie*, groveler, handshaker*, hanger on*, lackey, minion, parasite, politician, puppet, slave;… …   New thesaurus

  • sycophant — ► NOUN ▪ a person who flatters someone important in a servile way. DERIVATIVES sycophancy noun sycophantic adjective. ORIGIN originally denoting an informer: from Greek sukophant s, from sukon fig + phainein to show , perhaps with reference to… …   English terms dictionary

  • sycophant — [sik′ə fənt, sik′əfant΄] n. [L sycophanta < Gr sykophantēs, informer, lit., maker of the sign of the fig < sykon, fig + phainein, to show: see FANTASY] a person who seeks favor by flattering people of wealth or influence; parasite; toady… …   English World dictionary

  • Sycophant — A sycophant (from the Greek συκοφάντης sykophántēs ) is a servile person who, acting in his or her own self interest, attempts to win favor by flattering one or more influential persons, with an undertone that these actions are executed at the… …   Wikipedia

  • sycophant — UK [ˈsɪkəfənt] / US noun [countable] Word forms sycophant : singular sycophant plural sycophants formal an insulting word for someone who praises rich or powerful people in order to gain an advantage Derived words: sycophancy UK [ˈsɪkəfənsɪ] / US …   English dictionary

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