flattery

C1 Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈflæt.ɚ.i/ UK /ˈflæt.ə.ɹi/ See IPA manual

Freq #16123

Meanings

1

noun
Excessive or insincere praise, often used to win favour.

He saw through her flattery and refused to help.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

adulationass-kissingass-lickingblandishmentcarnyglozehoomalimaliincense sooth sycophancy

Word family

Forms flatteries

Derived forms self-flattery

Related forms flatter flattered flattering

Appears in

Proverbs (3)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English flaterye, flaterie, from Old French flaterie, from the verb flater (“to flatter”). By surface analysis, flatter + -y (forming abstract nouns).

flaterye Middle English flaterie Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# flattery

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈflæt.ɚ.i/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈflæt.ə.ɹi/
**Frequency rank:** 16123

## Meanings
1. Excessive or insincere praise, often used to win favour.

## Examples
- He saw through her flattery and refused to help.

## Synonyms
- adulation
- ass-kissing
- ass-licking
- blandishment
- carny
- gloze
- hoomalimali
- incense
- sooth
- sycophancy

## Derived Forms
- self-flattery

## Related Forms
- flatter
- flattered
- flattering

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: flaterye
- Root: flaterie

## Etymology
From Middle English flaterye, flaterie, from Old French flaterie, from the verb flater (“to flatter”). By surface analysis, flatter + -y (forming abstract nouns).

## AI Etymology
Flattery is from Middle English flaterye, flaterie, from Old French flaterie, from the verb flater (“to flatter”). By surface analysis, flatter + -y (forming abstract nouns). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it means excessive or insincere praise, often used to win favour. Related forms include flatter, flattered, flattering. Derived formations include self-flattery.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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