Sycophant
ˈsɪk.ə.fənt
noun
a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage
The word 'sycophant' comes from the Greek word 'sykophantēs,' which originally referred to informers or slanderers in ancient Athens. Over time, it evolved to denote individuals who flatter or behave subserviently to gain favor or advantage.
See how Walt Whitman and James Joyce use "sycophant", with its meaning, pronunciation and real book examples.
Examples from books
But the sweetness of mercy brew’d bitter destruction, and the frighten’d monarchs come back, Each comes in state with his train, hangman, priest, tax-gatherer, Soldier, lawyer, lord, jailer, and sycophant.
Walt Whitman
Leaves of Grass
Mendicancy: that of the fraudulent bankrupt with negligible assets paying ¹⁄₄d in the £, sandwichman, distributor of throwaways, nocturnal vagrant, insinuating sycophant, maimed sailor, blind stripling, superannuated bailiff’s man, marfeast, lickplate, spoilsport, pickthank, eccentric public laughingstock seated on bench of public park under discarded perforated umbrella.
James Joyce
Ulysses
