flunky
flunky Lexical Profile
flunky Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who performs menial or trivial tasks for someone more powerful, especially in a servile or obsequious manner.
"The executive refused to speak with us directly, sending a corporate flunky to deliver the bad news instead."
A liveried male servant or footman.
"In the nineteenth-century manor, a uniformed flunky stood by the carriage door to assist the guests."
Word Nuance & Usage
Also spelled 'flunkey' (especially in British English). In contemporary usage, the word is almost always derogatory, implying that a subordinate is overly submissive or performs trivial tasks to curry favor.
• Rhymes for flunky
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in late 18th-century Scots, probably derived from 'flanker' (a soldier posted on the flank or a side-attendant) combined with the diminutive suffix '-ie' or '-y'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.