English
sycophant
Sycophant comes from Latin sȳcophanta ‘informer’, from Ancient Greek συκοφάντης, from σῦκον ‘fig’ + φαίνω ‘to show’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυκοφάντης1sukophántēs‘informant’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsȳcophanta1‘informer’
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1587sycophant1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English sycophant
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., (please specify the folio): “[H]is mind had no eye to espy goodness; and…”.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυκοφάντηςWiktionary, English sycophantsukophántēs‘informant’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsȳcophantaWiktionary, English sycophant‘informer’
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1587sycophantWiktionary, English sycophant. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., (please specify the folio): “[H]is mind had no eye to espy goodness; and…”
A compound of σῦκον ‘fig’ + φαίνω ‘to show, demonstrate’
Ancient Greek σῦκον ‘fig’
Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to shine’
Proto-Indo-European *bʰh₂-n-yé-ti
Proto-Hellenic *pʰáňňō ‘to appear’
Ancient Greek φαίνω ‘to show, demonstrate’
first attested First attested in 1537 (as stated in Wiktionary’s etymology)
The story
First attested in 1537. The gesture of "showing the fig" was a vulgar one, which was made by sticking the thumb between two fingers, a display which vaguely resembles a fig, which is itself symbolic of a σῦκον (sûkon), which also meant vulva. The story behind this etymology is that politicians in ancient Greece steered clear of displaying that vulgar gesture, but secretly urged their followers to taunt their opponents by using it.
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Today it means
noun One who uses obsequious compliments to gain self-serving favour or advantage from another; a servile flatterer.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “sycophant”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek συκοφάντης / sycophant