Word of the Day: FAWNING
Bowing or bootlicking
fawning (adj) - seeking favor or approval through excessive flattery; slavishly submissive or servile [faw-ning]
to fawn means to show affection or to court favor in a cringing or servile way
fawn can also mean a young deer or having a pale yellowish-brown color
BREAKDOWN: While fawning is sometimes said to be coined by psychotherapist Pete Walker in 2013, the word actually dates back to the 1500s. Fawn as a verb derives from the Old English root fægen meaning glad. Fawn as a noun has an entirely different origin: the root FE- meaning to suck or suckle in words like fetus or fecund.
“The fawning courtier and the surly squire often mean the same thing--each his own interest.” —George Berkeley
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not derived from classic roots.]