sycophant

UK: /ˈsɪkəfænt/

US: /ˈsɪkəfənt, -ˌfænt/

US: (sik′ə fənt, -fant′, sī′kə-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

syc•o•phant /ˈsɪkəfənt, -ˌfænt/   n. [countable]

1. a self-seeking person who flatters others in power.

syc•o•phan•cy, n. [uncountable]
syc•o•phan•tic /ˌsɪkəˈfæntɪk/  adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

syc•o•phant  (sik′ə fənt, -fant′, sī′kə-), n. 

1. a self-seeking, servile flatterer;
   fawning parasite.

• Greek sȳkophántēs informer, equivalent. to sŷko(n) fig + phan- (stem of phaínein to show) + -tēs agentive suffix
• Latin sȳcophanta
• 1530–40

syc′o•phan′tic, syc′o•phan′ti•cal, syc′o•phant′ish, adj. 
syc′o•phan′ti•cal•ly, syc′o•phant′ish•ly, adv. 
syc′o•phant•ism, n. 
Synonyms

toady, yes man, flunky, fawner, flatterer.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sycophant / ˈsɪkəˌfænt/ noun

1. a person who uses flattery to win favour from individuals wielding influence; toady

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin sӯcophanta, from Greek sukophantēs, literally: the person showing a fig, apparently referring to the fig sign used in making an accusation, from sukon fig + phainein to show; sense probably developed from 'accuser' to 'informer, flatterer'

ˈsycoˌphancy noun