flunkey

English

Alternative forms

• flunkie, flunky

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈflʌŋki/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌŋki

Noun

flunkey (plural flunkeys or flunkies)

1. (derogatory) An underling; a liveried servant or a footman; servant, retainer – a person working in the service of another (especially in the household).
   • 1929, Baldwyn Dyke Acland, chapter 2, in Filibuster:

     “One marble hall, with staircase complete, one butler and three flunkeys to receive a retired sojer who dares to ring the bell. D'you know, old boy, I gave my bowler to the butler, whangee to one flunkey, gloves to another, and there was the fourth poor blighter looking like an orphan at a Mothers' Meeting. …"

   • 1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 304:

     Dignified flunkies in the circular reception hall of the Ritz took my bag and briefcase and I came through the revolving door looking for Renata.

2. An unpleasant, snobby or cringeworthy person.

Derived terms

• flunkeydom
• flunkeyish
• flunkeyism

Translations

liveried servant or a footman

• Bulgarian: лакей (bg) m (lakej)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 男僕／男仆 (zh) (nánpú)

• Finnish: kätyri (fi), lakeija (fi), käskyläinen (fi)
• Hungarian: lakáj (hu)
• Irish: Seoinín m
• Maori: tonotono
• Plautdietsch: Schekjbenjel m
• Russian: лаке́й (ru) m (lakéj)
• Serbo-Croatian: lakej m
• Spanish: lacayo m

one who is obsequious or cringing

• Bulgarian: ласкател (bg) m (laskatel), подлизурко (bg) n (podlizurko)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 馬屁精／马屁精 (zh) (mǎpìjīng)

• Finnish: mielistelijä (fi)
• French: please add this translation if you can
• German: Lakai (de) m, Speichellecker (de) m
• Hungarian: talpnyaló (hu)
• Maori: tonotono
• Romanian: please add this translation if you can
• Russian: лаке́й (ru) m (lakéj), подхали́м (ru) m (podxalím), лизоблюд (ru) m (lizobljud), подли́за (ru) m or f (podlíza)
• Serbo-Croatian: poniznik m, poniznica f
• Thai: please add this translation if you can

See also

• flunker (possibly false cognate)
• lackey

References

• “flunkey”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “flunky”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.