flattery
UK /ˈflæt.ə.ɹi/ · US /ˈflæt.ɚ.i/ noun, proper noun
Forms flatteries Flatterys
- noun (uncountable) Excessive praise or approval, which is often insincere and sometimes contrived to win favour. “Don't you know that some of his contributions here are pure flattery?”
- noun (countable) An instance of excessive praise.
- proper noun A surname from Irish.
Synonyms
carny incense adulation ass-kissing ass-licking blandishment gloze hoomalimali soft sawder sooth sycophancy
Etymology
From Middle English flaterye, flaterie, from Old French flaterie, from the verb flater (“to flatter”). By surface analysis, flatter + -y (forming abstract nouns).
Borrowed from Irish Ó Flaithre.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The act or practice of flattering; the act of pleasing by artiful commendation or compliments; adulation; false, insincere, or excessive praise.
Etymology [OE. flaterie, OF. flaterie, F. flaterie, fr. flater to flatter, F. flatter; of uncertain origin. See Flatter, v. t.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “flattery”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details