Word of the Week: Sycophant

LOVE this word! This morning at church, I was breezing in and out of classrooms on the children's hall, doling out words of flattery to the other teachers like they were free toasters at a bank's grand opening. I'm sure I appeared to be a sycophant. As a matter of fact, I'm quite sure Mary Nell thought so: she called me a suck-up. HA! It is quite useful in place of calling someone a suck-up, booty-kisser, brown-noser, etc., and you will sound so impressive in your insult.

sycophant \SIK-uh-fuhnt\

noun:
1. A person who attempts to win favor by flattering people of wealth or influence; a parasite; a toady.

Origin:
Sycophant derives from Greek sukophantes, "an accuser (especially a false accuser) or rogue," from sukon, "fig" + phantes, "one who shows," from phainein, "to show."

From a fellow blogger:

Here’s my pick for favorite drool-inducing, sycophant quote for this week:

“From his quick recovery after misspeaking the presidential oath to graciously confessing fault over his Cabinet nominees, this President handles his mistakes with such impressive grace that one is left almost glad that he makes them.”— New York Times White House correspondent Sheryl Gay Stolberg, April 1, 2009.

As a matter of fact, here is the definition of "suck-up":

suck-up n. Informal A person who flatters or defers to others obsequiously; a sycophant.

Brilliant!!