Definition of sycophant in English:

sycophant

noun ˈsɪkəfant

A person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage.
Example sentencesExamples
- It is because elected political sycophants are bought and sold like saltfish that leaders in government and opposition alike ride roughshod over the people's wishes.
- Surrounded by hot chicks, condescending art critics, lawyers, art collectors and sycophants, the film includes one truly inspiring moment.
- Bell was also a sycophant, a Yes man, who could shift his political stance in a heartbeat, talk in circles and dodge any important decision making.
- An assortment of hatchet men, opportunists and sycophants gained access to the levers of power.
- As time has passed, the meaning of ‘faithful dog’ has changed entirely as when, nowadays, the term is used to describe someone who behaves like a sycophant toward some powerful politician.
- Boards cease relating to customers and use ever more rigid methods to control operations down the line. They are shielded by sycophants and expend their energy on mergers and acquisitions.
- ‘They want sycophants rather than allies,’ said the head of one think tank.
- These politicians who boast that they are the paragons of all virtue can easily muster crowds of blindly loyal sycophants who believe that there is great benefit to be derived from such patronage.
- However, they're surrounded by sycophants, so they hardly ever get any constructive criticism.
- This was a man so obviously lying to himself and others - so obviously acting a part - that not even the toadies and sycophants lined beaming along the front row of the hall could have believed a word of it.
- History shows that many kings met their tragic ends because they did not pay heed to the advice of faithful courtiers, preferring the honeyed but false words of sycophants.
- We would rather be that voice than the voice of the sycophants and bootlickers and those hoping for a spot at the trough.
- And I suspect that it was this sense of mischief that kept her sane through all those lonely evenings passed at charitable fund-raising events being fawned over by sycophants.
- Or has he just - since leaving his real band - surrounded himself with other crackheads and sycophants who will continue to humour his excesses?
- Needless to say, if you only look at what your sycophants write, you're not going to gain much.
- Only the most sycophantic of the sycophants would even begin to make such a comparison. [In the past] there was at least a real enemy, there were real things to be done.
- Add to that a lifestyle that combines considerable wealth with plenty of free time at a young age, throw in a seemingly unlimited supply of sycophants and it should be no surprise to see the subject destroyed by his own success.
- Such an approach belongs to sycophants and losers.
- There will be several servile sycophants who will come forward as ‘White Knights’ to regain their lost positions.
- But no facts could alter the thinking of mindless sycophants.
Synonyms
toady, creep, crawler, fawner, flatterer, flunkey, truckler, groveller, doormat, lickspittle, kowtower, obsequious person, minion, hanger-on, leech, puppet, spaniel, Uriah Heep
informal bootlicker, yes-man
vulgar slang arse-licker, arse-kisser, brown-nose
North American vulgar slang suckhole

Origin

Mid 16th century (denoting an informer): from French sycophante, or via Latin from Greek sukophantēs 'informer', from sukon 'fig' + phainein 'to show', perhaps with reference to making the insulting gesture of the ‘fig’ (sticking the thumb between two fingers) to informers.

This is a story of figs and flattery. The Greek word sukophantēs meant ‘informer’. It was based on sukon ‘fig’ (also the root of sycamore (Middle English) and originally used for a fig tree) and phainein ‘to show’, and so literally meant ‘a person who shows the fig’. Some people have suggested that this related to the practice of informing against people who illegally exported figs from ancient Athens, as recorded by the Greek biographer Plutarch. A more likely explanation is that the term referred to an obscene gesture known as ‘showing (or making) the fig’. When sycophant entered the English language in the 1530s it meant ‘an informer’, and soon also ‘a person who tells tales or spreads malicious reports about someone’. The modern sense of ‘a servile flatterer’ probably comes from the notion that you can ingratiate yourself with someone in authority either by slandering others or by flattering the person in question.

Definition of sycophant in US English:

sycophant

noun

A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.
Example sentencesExamples
- We would rather be that voice than the voice of the sycophants and bootlickers and those hoping for a spot at the trough.
- It is because elected political sycophants are bought and sold like saltfish that leaders in government and opposition alike ride roughshod over the people's wishes.
- Add to that a lifestyle that combines considerable wealth with plenty of free time at a young age, throw in a seemingly unlimited supply of sycophants and it should be no surprise to see the subject destroyed by his own success.
- ‘They want sycophants rather than allies,’ said the head of one think tank.
- As time has passed, the meaning of ‘faithful dog’ has changed entirely as when, nowadays, the term is used to describe someone who behaves like a sycophant toward some powerful politician.
- Needless to say, if you only look at what your sycophants write, you're not going to gain much.
- History shows that many kings met their tragic ends because they did not pay heed to the advice of faithful courtiers, preferring the honeyed but false words of sycophants.
- Or has he just - since leaving his real band - surrounded himself with other crackheads and sycophants who will continue to humour his excesses?
- Surrounded by hot chicks, condescending art critics, lawyers, art collectors and sycophants, the film includes one truly inspiring moment.
- These politicians who boast that they are the paragons of all virtue can easily muster crowds of blindly loyal sycophants who believe that there is great benefit to be derived from such patronage.
- But no facts could alter the thinking of mindless sycophants.
- Only the most sycophantic of the sycophants would even begin to make such a comparison. [In the past] there was at least a real enemy, there were real things to be done.
- Boards cease relating to customers and use ever more rigid methods to control operations down the line. They are shielded by sycophants and expend their energy on mergers and acquisitions.
- There will be several servile sycophants who will come forward as ‘White Knights’ to regain their lost positions.
- An assortment of hatchet men, opportunists and sycophants gained access to the levers of power.
- However, they're surrounded by sycophants, so they hardly ever get any constructive criticism.
- And I suspect that it was this sense of mischief that kept her sane through all those lonely evenings passed at charitable fund-raising events being fawned over by sycophants.
- This was a man so obviously lying to himself and others - so obviously acting a part - that not even the toadies and sycophants lined beaming along the front row of the hall could have believed a word of it.
- Bell was also a sycophant, a Yes man, who could shift his political stance in a heartbeat, talk in circles and dodge any important decision making.
- Such an approach belongs to sycophants and losers.
Synonyms
toady, creep, crawler, fawner, flatterer, flunkey, truckler, groveller, doormat, lickspittle, kowtower, obsequious person, minion, hanger-on, leech, puppet, spaniel, uriah heep

Origin

Mid 16th century (denoting an informer): from French sycophante, or via Latin from Greek sukophantēs ‘informer’, from sukon ‘fig’ + phainein ‘to show’, perhaps with reference to making the insulting gesture of the ‘fig’ (sticking the thumb between two fingers) to informers.

单词	sycophant
释义	Definition of sycophant in English: sycophant noun ˈsɪkəfant A person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage. Example sentencesExamples It is because elected political sycophants are bought and sold like saltfish that leaders in government and opposition alike ride roughshod over the people's wishes. Surrounded by hot chicks, condescending art critics, lawyers, art collectors and sycophants, the film includes one truly inspiring moment. Bell was also a sycophant, a Yes man, who could shift his political stance in a heartbeat, talk in circles and dodge any important decision making. An assortment of hatchet men, opportunists and sycophants gained access to the levers of power. As time has passed, the meaning of ‘faithful dog’ has changed entirely as when, nowadays, the term is used to describe someone who behaves like a sycophant toward some powerful politician. Boards cease relating to customers and use ever more rigid methods to control operations down the line. They are shielded by sycophants and expend their energy on mergers and acquisitions. ‘They want sycophants rather than allies,’ said the head of one think tank. These politicians who boast that they are the paragons of all virtue can easily muster crowds of blindly loyal sycophants who believe that there is great benefit to be derived from such patronage. However, they're surrounded by sycophants, so they hardly ever get any constructive criticism. This was a man so obviously lying to himself and others - so obviously acting a part - that not even the toadies and sycophants lined beaming along the front row of the hall could have believed a word of it. History shows that many kings met their tragic ends because they did not pay heed to the advice of faithful courtiers, preferring the honeyed but false words of sycophants. We would rather be that voice than the voice of the sycophants and bootlickers and those hoping for a spot at the trough. And I suspect that it was this sense of mischief that kept her sane through all those lonely evenings passed at charitable fund-raising events being fawned over by sycophants. Or has he just - since leaving his real band - surrounded himself with other crackheads and sycophants who will continue to humour his excesses? Needless to say, if you only look at what your sycophants write, you're not going to gain much. Only the most sycophantic of the sycophants would even begin to make such a comparison. [In the past] there was at least a real enemy, there were real things to be done. Add to that a lifestyle that combines considerable wealth with plenty of free time at a young age, throw in a seemingly unlimited supply of sycophants and it should be no surprise to see the subject destroyed by his own success. Such an approach belongs to sycophants and losers. There will be several servile sycophants who will come forward as ‘White Knights’ to regain their lost positions. But no facts could alter the thinking of mindless sycophants. Synonyms toady, creep, crawler, fawner, flatterer, flunkey, truckler, groveller, doormat, lickspittle, kowtower, obsequious person, minion, hanger-on, leech, puppet, spaniel, Uriah Heep informal bootlicker, yes-man vulgar slang arse-licker, arse-kisser, brown-nose North American vulgar slang suckhole Origin Mid 16th century (denoting an informer): from French sycophante, or via Latin from Greek sukophantēs 'informer', from sukon 'fig' + phainein 'to show', perhaps with reference to making the insulting gesture of the ‘fig’ (sticking the thumb between two fingers) to informers. This is a story of figs and flattery. The Greek word sukophantēs meant ‘informer’. It was based on sukon ‘fig’ (also the root of sycamore (Middle English) and originally used for a fig tree) and phainein ‘to show’, and so literally meant ‘a person who shows the fig’. Some people have suggested that this related to the practice of informing against people who illegally exported figs from ancient Athens, as recorded by the Greek biographer Plutarch. A more likely explanation is that the term referred to an obscene gesture known as ‘showing (or making) the fig’. When sycophant entered the English language in the 1530s it meant ‘an informer’, and soon also ‘a person who tells tales or spreads malicious reports about someone’. The modern sense of ‘a servile flatterer’ probably comes from the notion that you can ingratiate yourself with someone in authority either by slandering others or by flattering the person in question. Definition of sycophant in US English: sycophant noun A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage. Example sentencesExamples We would rather be that voice than the voice of the sycophants and bootlickers and those hoping for a spot at the trough. It is because elected political sycophants are bought and sold like saltfish that leaders in government and opposition alike ride roughshod over the people's wishes. Add to that a lifestyle that combines considerable wealth with plenty of free time at a young age, throw in a seemingly unlimited supply of sycophants and it should be no surprise to see the subject destroyed by his own success. ‘They want sycophants rather than allies,’ said the head of one think tank. As time has passed, the meaning of ‘faithful dog’ has changed entirely as when, nowadays, the term is used to describe someone who behaves like a sycophant toward some powerful politician. Needless to say, if you only look at what your sycophants write, you're not going to gain much. History shows that many kings met their tragic ends because they did not pay heed to the advice of faithful courtiers, preferring the honeyed but false words of sycophants. Or has he just - since leaving his real band - surrounded himself with other crackheads and sycophants who will continue to humour his excesses? Surrounded by hot chicks, condescending art critics, lawyers, art collectors and sycophants, the film includes one truly inspiring moment. These politicians who boast that they are the paragons of all virtue can easily muster crowds of blindly loyal sycophants who believe that there is great benefit to be derived from such patronage. But no facts could alter the thinking of mindless sycophants. Only the most sycophantic of the sycophants would even begin to make such a comparison. [In the past] there was at least a real enemy, there were real things to be done. Boards cease relating to customers and use ever more rigid methods to control operations down the line. They are shielded by sycophants and expend their energy on mergers and acquisitions. There will be several servile sycophants who will come forward as ‘White Knights’ to regain their lost positions. An assortment of hatchet men, opportunists and sycophants gained access to the levers of power. However, they're surrounded by sycophants, so they hardly ever get any constructive criticism. And I suspect that it was this sense of mischief that kept her sane through all those lonely evenings passed at charitable fund-raising events being fawned over by sycophants. This was a man so obviously lying to himself and others - so obviously acting a part - that not even the toadies and sycophants lined beaming along the front row of the hall could have believed a word of it. Bell was also a sycophant, a Yes man, who could shift his political stance in a heartbeat, talk in circles and dodge any important decision making. Such an approach belongs to sycophants and losers. Synonyms toady, creep, crawler, fawner, flatterer, flunkey, truckler, groveller, doormat, lickspittle, kowtower, obsequious person, minion, hanger-on, leech, puppet, spaniel, uriah heep Origin Mid 16th century (denoting an informer): from French sycophante, or via Latin from Greek sukophantēs ‘informer’, from sukon ‘fig’ + phainein ‘to show’, perhaps with reference to making the insulting gesture of the ‘fig’ (sticking the thumb between two fingers) to informers.
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