sycophanta Latin · revision 683

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [syː.kɔˈpʰan.ta]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [si.koˈfan.ta]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sȳcophanta''' ''m'' (genitive sȳcophantae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|συκοφάντης|tr=sukophántēs|t=false accuser, slanderer]].^(OLD 2012)^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Wiktionary) The Greek word means literally “one who shows the fig”, from [[m|grc|σῦκον|tr=sûkon|t=fig]] and [[m|grc|φαίνω|tr=phaínō|t=to show]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Lewis and Short and Georges repeat the old explanation that it first meant an informer against those exporting figs from Attica against the law;^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Etymonline instead connects it with an obscene gesture called “showing the fig”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(Köbler 2010) who uses it of a smooth [[m|en|trickster]]: “this sycophant is too clever, watch how he coaxes the woman”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Latin comedy it meant a swindler or impostor, someone who plays on others' credulity, and also a cunning flatterer or parasite.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Festus explains its original Athenian sense of a person who brings vexatious prosecutions, and Apuleius uses it for a slanderer.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short note that it is found before and after the classical period but not in classical prose.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Ecclesiastical Latin used it for a flatterer.^(Stelten 1995) English borrowed it in the 1530s, first as “informer, slanderer”, a sense later replaced by “servile flatterer”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for tricksters and impostors.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it in the same sense.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it for a slanderer.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1530s – English borrows it as [[en|sycophant]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A swindler, impostor, [[m|en|trickster]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A cunning flatterer, parasite, [[m|en|sycophant]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # (at Athens) A vexatious accuser; a [[m|en|slanderer]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sȳcophantor]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sȳcophantia]]

+ * [[sȳcophantiōsē]]

+ * [[en|sycophant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}