noun · rare

sycophant

sycophant · sycophants

підлабузник

льстец, подлиза, подхалим, лизоблюд

Schmeichler, Schleimer, Speichellecker, Kriecher

One who uses obsequious compliments to gain self-serving favour or advantage from anotherOne who uses obsequious compliments to gain self-serving favour or advantage from another; a servile flatterer.

ⓘ

/ˈsɪkəfænt/

» He was a sycophant, always trying to ingratiate himself with the wealthy.

Meaning

3 senses

One who uses obsequious compliments to gain self-serving favour or advantage from another; a servile flatterer.
Kriecher, Schmeichler, Speichellecker
льстецlʹstec, подхали́мpodxalím, лизоблю́дlizobljúd
підлабузникpidlabuznyk
a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
One who seeks to gain through the powerful and influential.
(obsolete)An informer; a talebearer.

Examples

5 sentences

He was a sycophant, always trying to ingratiate himself with the wealthy.
CC BY · Tatoeba · ddnktr · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
The king was tired of his sycophants always praising him, so he sent them away.
ruКоролю надоело, что подхалимы постоянно хвалят его, поэтому он выслал их подальше.
deDer König war seiner Schmeichler, die ihn beständig anpriesen, müde, also schickte er sie weg.
CC BY · Tatoeba · AlanF_US · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Of course Tom was encouraging the riot — him and his cadre of drunken, deluded sycophants.
CC BY · Tatoeba · JHR · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
The authoritarian manager rewards sycophants and punishes anyone who suggests possible improvements to practices and procedures.
CC BY · Tatoeba · patgfisher · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
You're a sycophant.
ruТы подхалим.
CC BY · Tatoeba · ddnktr · C2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

9 languages

Українська

By meaning 1

one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person:

Русский

By meaning 1

one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person:

Deutsch

By meaning 1

one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person:

Origin

First attested in 1537. From Latin sȳcophanta (“informer, trickster”), from Ancient Greek

First attested in 1537. From Latin sȳcophanta (“informer, trickster”), from Ancient Greek συκοφάντης (sukophántēs), itself from σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”) + φαίνω (phaínō, “to show, demonstrate”). The gesture of "showing the fig" was a vulgar one, which was made by sticking the thumb between two fingers, a display which vaguely resembles a fig, which is itself symbolic of a σῦκον (sûkon), which also meant vulva. The story behind this etymology is that politicians in ancient Greece steered clear of displaying that vulgar gesture, but secretly urged their followers to taunt their opponents by using it.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source