sycophant
definition
a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage
example
The boss was surrounded by sycophants who always praised his ideas, hoping for a promotion.
synonyms
flattereryes-mantoady
word origin — The word 'sycophant' comes from the Greek word 'sykophantes', which means 'informer' or 'accuser'. It originally referred to someone who accused others of wrongdoing for personal gain.