What is sycophant and what does sycophant mean? Read about the definition and meaning of sycophant

sycophant

  1. A servile flatterer – Someone who excessively praises or fawns over others, especially those in power, for personal gain.

  2. An insincere person – One who pretends to support or admire others to manipulate or benefit from them.

  3. A self-seeking toady – A person who behaves obsequiously to curry favor with influential people.

Etymology & Origin of sycophant

From Latin sycophanta, borrowed from Greek sykophántēs (συκοφάντης), originally meaning “fig shower” or “one who shows the fig.” Entered English through Latin and Old French by the 16th century, evolving in meaning from "informer" to "obsequious flatterer."

Similar words