sycophantic
adjective
Behaving in an obsequious way in order to gain advantage; excessively flattering toward someone important.
Etymology
From Greek "sykophantes" (informer), possibly from "sykon" (fig) + "phainein" (to show). The original meaning involved informing on illegal fig exporters.
Examples in Use
- 1.
"The sycophantic courtiers agreed with everything the king said."
- 2.
"He despised the sycophantic behavior of ambitious underlings."
- 3.
"Her sycophantic praise was obviously insincere."
Related Vocabulary
Synonyms
Related Words
Fun Fact
The "fig" etymology is mysterious. Some scholars suggest it meant "showing the fig"—an obscene gesture. Others think it referred to informers who "revealed" those illegally exporting figs from Athens.
Word Game Tips
Letters: 11 letters (S, Y, C, O, P, H, A, N, T, I, C)
Scrabble Value: 23 points
Tip: Try building from common prefixes or suffixes when you spot these letters.
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