A great Word Nerd Word has been circulating in podcasts and publications lately: sycophant. Fun to say and tough to spell, sycophant is a noteworthy word for our time, thanks to its relevance in politics and AI. Do you know what it means?
Sycophant (“sick – e – fent”) derives from the Greek words sykon (meaning “fig”) and phainein (meaning “to show or reveal”). In ancient Greece, these words somehow came together to create sykophantēs, which meant “slanderer.” The path from “fig shower” to “slanderer” isn’t clear. Theories circulate about ancient Greek farmers avoiding paying taxes on figs they brought to market by hiding the fruits in their clothes; the sykophantes might have been the guys who ratted the farmers out. There is also evidence of an offensive “fig” gesture created by placing the thumb between two fingers. Merriam Webster isn’t sure if any of this is true.
Regardless, when sychophantes was adopted into English in the 16th century, writers used it to describe slandering accusers who worked closely with powerful people. From there, it became known as a term for those who flatter and cater to influential people.
Today, the loyal followers of powerful politicians are sometimes called sycophants. They’re the ones showering a leader with praise and doing whatever they can to stay in his or her good graces, usually for personal gain. Think of the classmates who back up a mean girl; the thugs on either side of a bully. Or the congressmen who rally around a high-ranking official no matter what he does or says.
Also these days, sycophant is being used to describe AI. When you or I engage with AI, the agent or bot often showers us or our queries with praise. “That’s a fantastic idea! Let me help you get that started!” AI tells us what we want to hear so that we will stay engaged and dive deeper into the topic. This ultimately benefits the technology. While the consistently positive response from AI might make us feel good in the short term, it does not guarantee honest information or feedback. To use AI ethically and effectively, we have to keep that sycophantic tendency in mind. And this is why it’s important to understand what sycophant means.
Sycophant: a servile self-seeking flatterer:one who praises those in power in order to gain their approval
A wise leader is wary of flattery and seeks input from a variety of perspectives, not just from sycophants. A critical user of technology realizes that AI showers praise to keep users engaged and improve the technology. We need to maintains a healthy skepticism about the information AI provides.
What’s a word you’ve heard lately that you’d like to learn more about? I’ve got posts on bespoke, oligarchy, and blatherskite.
Thanks for getting nerdy with me!
