συκοφάντης

Ancient Greek

Etymology

σῦκον (sûkon, fig) + φαίνω (phaínō, show) + -της (-tēs, masculine agent-noun suffix).

Pronunciation

 

Noun

σῡκοφᾰ́ντης • (sūkophántēs) m (genitive σῡκοφᾰ́ντου); first declension (Attic, Koine)

  1. informant, denouncer (in court)
  2. professional swindler

Declension

Derived terms

  • σῡκοφᾰντέω (sūkophantéō)
  • σῡκοφᾰ́ντημᾰ (sūkophántēma)
  • σῡκοφᾰντητός (sūkophantētós)
  • σῡκοφᾰ́ντρῐᾱ (sūkophántriā)
  • σῡκοφᾰντώδης (sūkophantṓdēs)
  • σῡκοφᾰντῐκός (sūkophantikós)
  • σῡκοφᾰντῐ́ᾱ (sūkophantíā)
  • σῡκοφᾰντῐ́ᾱς (sūkophantíās)

Descendants

Further reading

Greek

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek συκοφάντης (sukophántēs, informant). But how a φάντης (who shows) σῦκα (sûka, figs) came to mean "informant", is debated.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /si.koˈfan.dis/
  • Hyphenation: συ‧κο‧φά‧ντης

Noun

συκοφάντης • (sykofántis) m (feminine συκοφάντισσα or συκοφάντρια)

  1. calumniator

Usage notes

συκοφάντης is a false friend of English sycophant, since the modern meaning of the English word is different.

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