flunky
追従者・召使い
解説 Definition
追従者。召使い。へつらう人。権力者に媚びへつらう人を指す。
A flunky is a person who obeys or praises someone powerful in a weak or dishonest way. It can also mean a servant or low-level assistant in older usage. The word is informal and insulting, so it is used to criticize someone's behavior.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
flunky は、偉い人のそばで動く人を思い浮かべると残りやすい語です。意味は単なる「召使い」より、相手に逆らわず機嫌を取りながら従う「追従者」寄り。使うなら、boss や powerful people の周囲で yes ばかり言う人物像と結びつけると覚えやすいです。似た語の servant は中立、flunky は軽蔑がこもるのが違い。政治家・上司の取り巻きの文脈で出ると flunky らしい、と押さえると定着します。
Think of a person who always stays near power and says yes to everything. A `flunky` is not just a helper, but someone who follows in a weak, flattering way. It has a negative tone, unlike the more neutral `servant`.
例文
The manager's flunky would approve every decision without criticism.
その上司の追従者は批判なくすべての決定を承認した。
He refused to be a flunky and spoke his mind in the meeting.
彼は追従者になることを拒否し、会議で自分の意見を述べた。
The CEO surrounded himself with flunkies who wouldn't challenge him.
そのCEOは自分に異議を唱えない追従者たちに囲まれていた。
flunky の類義語・関連語
flunky の語源・成り立ち Etymology
flunky は18世紀英語 flunkey／flunky に由来し、語源は断定できませんが、フランス語 flanquer「脇に立たせる」と結びつけて説明されることがあります。主人のそばに控える召使いのイメージから、やがて「へつらう追従者」の意味になりました。関連語は flank, flanker。
Flunky appeared in English in the 18th century as flunkey or flunky. Its exact origin is uncertain, but it is sometimes linked to French flanquer, "to place at the side," which is related to English flank. From the image of a servant standing beside a master, it later came to mean a follower who flatters or obeys too eagerly.
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