sycophant en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈsaɪkəfænt/
- /ˈsaɪkəfənt/
- /ˈsɪkəfənt/
- /ˈsɪkəfænt/
Etymology
First attested in 1537. From Latin sȳcophanta (“informer, trickster”), from Ancient Greek συκοφάντης (sukophántēs), itself from σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”) + φαίνω (phaínō, “to show, demonstrate”). The gesture of "showing the fig" was a vulgar one, which was made by sticking the thumb between two fingers, a display which vaguely resembles a fig, which is itself symbolic of a σῦκον (sûkon), which also meant vulva. The story behind this etymology is that politicians in ancient Greece steered clear of displaying that vulgar gesture, but secretly urged their followers to taunt their opponents by using it. Cognate with Italian sicofante, Spanish sicofanta.
Meanings
-
One who uses obsequious compliments to gain self-serving favour or advantage from another; a servile flatterer.
The latest act in the Madness of King Donald drama playing globally on every channel underlined the increasingly delusional world the anti-hero inhabits, his fantasies fed and indulged by a cast of sycophants, lackeys and straight grifters, all in it for what they can get.
2026 January 24, Michael Pascoe, “America’s mighty economic power has feet of clay”, in Michael West Media, archived from the original on 30 Jan 2026:A sycophant will everything admire: / Each verse, each sentence, sets his soul on fire
1683, John Dryden, The Art of Poetry:VVhile a mean Crovvd of Sycophants attend, / And favvn and flatter, creep and cringe and bend; / The Fav'rite bleſſes his ſuperior State, / Riſes o'er all, and hails Himſelf the Great.
1743, Henry Fielding, “Of True Greatness. An Epistle to George Dodington, Esq”, in Miscellanies, […], volume I, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, page 3:
- One who seeks to gain through the powerful and influential.
-
(obsolete) An informer; a talebearer.
[H]is mind had no eye to espy goodness; and therefore accusing sycophants, of all men, did best sort to his nature.
a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| sycophants | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
sycophantly · sycophantize · sycophantism · sycophantry · sycophancy · sycophantic · sycophantish
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
teacher's pet · tufthunter · shill · yes man · courtier · heeler
Relateds
flattery · sycophantic · obedient · jerk · loyal follower
Synonyms
lick-platter · groveler · lickpot · pickthank · buttkisser · white knight · ass-kisser · arse-licker · flatterer · brown noser · groveller · flunkey · hanger-on · clawback · bootlicker · suck up · simp · brownnose · bootlick · ass-licker · adulator · lackey · buttlicker · ass-kisser · people pleaser · throne sniffer · suck-up · arse-kisser · kiss-ass · lickspittle · flunky · yes man · lackey · brown noser · parasite · doormat · schmoozer · dickrider · toady · toadeater · sycophant · minion · apple polisher
Translations (127)
gl lambespiñas (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · cy gwenieithwr (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · hy պնակալեզ (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · nl kruiper (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · bg подлизурко (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · el συκοφάντης (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · da røvslikker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · sh ulizica (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · nl kontlikker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · eo flatisto (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · de Kriecher (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pt adulador (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · da rygklapper (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · bn চামচা (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · yue 擦鞋狗 (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fi mielistelijä (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pt sicofanta (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pt puxa-saco (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · lt pataikūnas (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fi imartelija (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ca sicofanta (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · nl hielenlikker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · hu talpnyaló (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · da hofsnog (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · da sykofant (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · cmn 巴兒狗 /巴儿狗 (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ro pupincurist (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · uk підлабузник (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · mk подлизурко (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fi nuoleskelija (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ar مُتَمَلِّق m مُدَاهِن (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl panxolas (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fi perseennuolija (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · bg подмазвач (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ru льстец (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · es barbero (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pt lambe-botas (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · it leccaculo (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · nl bruinwerker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · he חנפן (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pl lizus (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · wa platchteu (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · eo flatulo (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · es pelotillero (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · yue 擦鞋仔 (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pt bajulador (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · cs patolízal (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · da øjentjener (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · sh улизица (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · sv smickrare (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · et pealekaebaja (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · da spytslikker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ru лизоблю́д (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · nl pluimstrijker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · bg мазник (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fr flagorneur (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · it adulatore (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fa چاپلوس (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · is smjaðrari (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · nl vleier (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl cirigaitas (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · es acomedido (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl louvamiñeiro (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · es sicofante (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl candongueiro (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · sco kiss-ma-luif (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · cs pochlebovač (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · nl gatlikker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fa خایهمال (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl mingamona (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl boriante (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · sv knähund (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · no spyttslikker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl lambecús (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ps چاپلوس (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · vi nịnh hót (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · de Speichellecker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · la assecula (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · hy քծնող (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · de Schmeichler (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · es pelota (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · it ruffiano (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ru подхали́м (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · az yaltaq (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gv foalserey (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ja ごますり (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · tl sipsip (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl gariteiro (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fi hännystelijä (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · no spyttsleiker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · sv sykofant (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · af beroepsverklikker (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · it leccapiedi (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · is höfðingjasleikja (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pl cmokier (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · el κόλακας (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pt assecla (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fr lèche-cul (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pl pochlebca (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · bn খয়ের খাঁ (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · wa flabåd (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ru подли́за (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl paraxismeiro (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · et takkakiitja (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · pa ਚਮਚਾ (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · eo ĝentilaĉulo (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ro lingău (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl compangón (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ms pengampu (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gd sodalaiche (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · ps چاپلوسه (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · es sicofanta (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl aleimador (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · sv lismare (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · it delatore (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · af sikofant (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl blandicioso (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · fr lèche-bottes (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · id penjilat (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · is undirlægja (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · it sicofante (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · mt lagħqi (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · tr dalkavuk (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · de Schleimer (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl gaioleiro (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl trasloeiro (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person) · gl labiantón (one who uses compliments to gain self-serving favor or advantage from another person)