Jenkins en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈd͡ʒɛŋkɪnz/
Etymology
A patronymic surname that is derived from the male given name John + -kin (which forms diminutive )+ -s (denoting "son of") hence meaning "son of little John". It was originally an offshoot of the male medieval name Jenkin/Jankin. The name was brought from the crusaders; it originated in Cornwall but became popular in England and Wales.
Meanings
-
(colloquial, dated, derogatory) A flatterer or sycophant.
the Jenkins employed by a newspaper
October 1869, George William Curtis, Civil-Service Reform rouse the country for Jones and Justice or Jenkins and the Rights of Man
Because they are styled "the executive," "executive officers," &c., by their Jenkinses, and are declared by the same authorities to possess unbounded knowledge, and transcendent "executive ability," they sometimes fancy themselves the Czar, the Shah, or the Grand Turk […]
1868, Edward Isidore Sears, editor, The National Quarterly Review, volume 16, page 404:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkinses | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| Jinkins | alternative | lexicographic |