sycophant

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: syc=o=phant

CIDE DICTIONARY

sycophant, 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.].

•  An informer; a talebearer.  Sir P. Sidney.  [1913 Webster]
•  A base parasite; a mean or servile flatterer; especially, a flatterer of princes and great men.  [1913 Webster]

  "A sycophant will everything admire:
  Each verse, each sentence, sets his soul on fire."  [1913 Webster]

sycophant, v. t. [CF. L. sycophantari to deceive, to trick, Gr. .].

•  To inform against; hence, to calumniate.  [1913 Webster]

  "Sycophanting and misnaming the work of his adversary."  [1913 Webster]
•  To play the sycophant toward; to flatter obsequiously.  [1913 Webster]

sycophant, v. i. 

 To play the sycophant.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

sycophant, n. a servile flatterer; a toady.

Derivative

sycophancy n. sycophantic adj. sycophantically adv.

Etymology

F sycophante or L sycophanta f. Gk sukophantes informer f. sukon fig + phaino show: the reason for the name is uncert., and association with informing against the illegal exportation of figs from ancient Athens (recorded by Plutarch) cannot be substantiated

DEVIL DICTIONARY

sycophant

n. One who approaches Greatness on his belly so that he may not be commanded to turn and be kicked. He is sometimes an editor.

As the lean leech, its victim found, is pleased
To fix itself upon a part diseased
Till, its black hide distended with bad blood,
It drops to die of surfeit in the mud,
So the base sycophant with joy descries
His neighbor's weak spot and his mouth applies,
Gorges and prospers like the leech, although,
Unlike that reptile, he will not let go.
Gelasma, if it paid you to devote
Your talent to the service of a goat,
Showing by forceful logic that its beard
Is more than Aaron's fit to be revered;
If to the task of honoring its smell
Profit had prompted you, and love as well,
The world would benefit at last by you
And wealthy malefactors weep anew --
Your favor for a moment's space denied
And to the nobler object turned aside.
Is't not enough that thrifty millionaires
Who loot in freight and spoliate in fares,
Or, cursed with consciences that bid them fly
To safer villainies of darker dye,
Forswearing robbery and fain, instead,
To steal (they call it "cornering") our bread
May see you groveling their boots to lick
And begging for the favor of a kick?
Still must you follow to the bitter end
Your sycophantic disposition's trend,
And in your eagerness to please the rich
Hunt hungry sinners to their final ditch?
In Morgan's praise you smite the sounding wire,
And sing hosannas to great Havemeyher!
What's Satan done that him you should eschew?
He too is reeking rich -- deducting _you_.

THESAURUS

sycophant

adherent, adulator, apple-polisher, ass-licker, backscratcher, backslapper, blarneyer, bootlick, bootlicker, bootlicking, brown-nose, brownie, cajoler, clawback, courtier, cowering, creature, cringer, cringing, disciple, dummy, dupe, fawner, figurehead, flatterer, flunky, follower, footlicker, gillie, goon, gopher, groveler, groveling, handshaker, hanger-on, helot, henchman, instrument, jackal, kowtower, kowtowing, lackey, led captain, lickspit, lickspittle, man, mealymouth, minion, myrmidon, parasitic, peon, puppet, reptile, satellite, self-seeker, serf, slave, snob, spaniel, stooge, suck, thug, timeserver, toad, toadeater, toady, toadying, toadyish, tool, truckler, truckling, tufthunter, votary, wheedler, yes-man

ROGET THESAURUS

sycophant

Servility

N servility, slavery, obsequiousness, subserviency, abasement, prostration, prosternation, genuflection, fawning, tuft- hunting, timeserving, flunkeyism, sycophancy, humility, sycophant, parasite, toad, toady, toad-eater, tufthunter, snob, flunky, flunkey, yes-man, lapdog, spaniel, lickspittle, smell-feast, Graeculus esuriens, hanger on, cavaliere servente, led captain, carpet knight, timeserver, fortune hunter, Vicar of Bray, Sir- Pertinax, Max Sycophant, pickthank, flatterer, doer of dirty work, ame damnee, tool, reptile, slave, courtier, beat, dead beat, doughface, heeler, homme de cour, sponger, sucker, tagtail, truckler, servile, obsequious, supple, supple as a glove, soapy, oily, pliant, cringing, abased, dough-faced, fawning, slavish, groveling, sniveling, mealy-mouthed, beggarly, sycophantic, parasitical, abject, prostrate, down on ones marrowbones, base, mean, sneaking, crouching, hat in hand, cap in hand.

Flatterer

N flatterer, adulator, eulogist, euphemist, optimist, encomiast, laudator, whitewasher, toady, toadeater, sycophant, courtier, Sir Pertinax MacSycophant, flaneur, proneur, puffer, touter, claqueur, clawback, earwig, doer of dirty work, parasite, hanger-on, yes-man, suckup, ass-kisser, brown-noser, teacher's pet, pessimum genus inimicorum laudantes.

Knave

N knave, rogue, Scapin, rascal, Lazarillo de Tormes, bad man, blackguard, barrater, barrator, shyster, traitor, betrayer, archtraitor, conspirator, Judas, Catiline, reptile, serpent, snake in the grass, wolf in sheep's clothing, sneak, Jerry Sneak, squealer, tell-tale, mischief-maker, trimmer, fence-sitter, renegade, truant, recreant, sycophant.