"Toady" redirects here. See also, Todi. A sycophant (from the Greek συκοφάντης sykophántēs) is a servile person who, acting in his or her own self interest, attempts to win favor by flattering one or more influential persons, with an undertone that these actions are executed at the cost of his or her own personal pride, principles, and peer respect. Such a manner is called obsequiousness.
In ancient Greece the word was the Athenian counterpart of the Roman delator, a public informer. In modern Greek the term has retained its ancient classical meaning, and is still used to describe a slanderer or a calumniator.
Etymology
According to ancient authorities, the word (derived by them from συκος sykos, "fig", and φανης fanēs, "to show") meant one who informed against another for exporting figs (which was forbidden by law) or for stealing the fruit of the sacred fig-trees, whether in time of famine or on any other occasion (Plutarch, Life of Solon, 24, 2.). The Oxford English Dictionary, however, states that this explanation, though common, "cannot be substantiated", and suggests that it may refer instead to the insulting gesture of "making a fig" or to an obscene alternate meaning for "fig", namely sykon, which means cunt.[1]
Another old explanation was that fines and taxes were at one time paid in apples, wine and oil, and those who collected such payments in kind were often called sycophants because they publicly handed them in.citation needed
Popular culture
- In Obert Skye's Leven Thumps series of children's books, "sycophant" also refers to a race of small furry creatures whose job is to aid people who have entered Foo.
- In Andrew Bird's song "Sic of Elephants", he makes a play on words between "elephants" and "sycophants", and describes behavior one might associate with sycophants.
- In an episode of Daria, Kevin Thompson remarks that his father is not a sycophant, but in fact a car salesman.
- In Boy George's Taboo during the song "Everything Taboo" the cast sings "Dancing Freaks and Sycophants, Westwood heels and shoulder pads"
- In Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne calls the guests at his birthday party, "Sycophantic suckups".
- In Smashing Pumpkins' song Annie-Dog's lyrics : "[...]A simple man, a sycophant, her elephant with the laughing caugh. [...]"
- In Choking Victim's song 500 Channels lyrics: "[...]I sit and stare at my T.V. and in my ignorance, I'll be a slave and sycophant! [...]"
References
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