sycophant
noun
[ ˈsɪkəfant ]
• a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage.
Similar:
toady,
creep,
crawler,
fawner,
flatterer,
flunkey,
truckler,
groveller,
doormat,
lickspittle,
kowtower,
obsequious person,
minion,
hanger-on,
leech,
puppet,
spaniel,
Uriah Heep,
bootlicker,
yes-man,
brown-nose,
suck-up,
arse-licker,
arse-kisser,
suckhole,
ass-licker,
ass-kisser,
Origin:
mid 16th century (denoting an informer): from French sycophante, or via Latin from Greek sukophantēs ‘informer’, from sukon ‘fig’ + phainein ‘to show’, perhaps with reference to making the insulting gesture of the ‘fig’ (sticking the thumb between two fingers) to informers.
