Word of the Day - 04/16/26
sycophant
/'sɪkəfənt/(n.): a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
The new assistant was a sycophant, constantly praising the CEO's ideas to secure a promotion.
Word Origin
The word 'sycophant' originates from Ancient Greek, deriving from *sukophántēs* (συκοφάντης). This word is a compound of *sŷkon* (σῦκον), meaning 'fig', and *phaínein* (φαίνειν), meaning 'to show' or 'to reveal'. Thus, it literally means 'one who shows figs'. In ancient Athens, a 'sycophant' was originally an informer who denounced citizens for illegally exporting figs, or possibly one who made a rude gesture with a fig. The meaning evolved over time to refer to a servile flatterer who seeks favor.
Words sharing the Greek root *sŷkon* (fig) include *sycosis* (a skin condition related to hair follicles, sometimes metaphorically linked to figs). Words stemming from *phaínein* (to show, to appear) are numerous in English, such as *phantom*, *fantasy*, *phenomenon*, *emphasis*, *diaphanous*, and *epiphany*.