Standard Lemma guide

flunkey

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈflʌŋki/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌŋki

1

noun

Meaning 1

An underling; a liveried servant or a footman; servant, retainer – a person working in the service of another (especially in the household).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An unpleasant, snobby or cringeworthy person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a person of unquestioning obedience

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: flunky, stooge, yes-man

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: follower

Narrower terms: pushover

4

noun

Meaning 4

a male servant (especially a footman)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lackey, flunky

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: servant, retainer

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: лакей (lakej) — liveried servant or a footman
  • Chinese Mandarin: 男僕 /男仆 (nánpú) — liveried servant or a footman
  • Finnish: kätyri — liveried servant or a footman
  • Finnish: lakeija — liveried servant or a footman
  • Finnish: käskyläinen — liveried servant or a footman
  • Hungarian: lakáj — liveried servant or a footman
  • Irish: Seoinín — liveried servant or a footman
  • Māori: tonotono — liveried servant or a footman
  • Plautdietsch: Schekjbenjel — liveried servant or a footman
  • Polish: sługus — liveried servant or a footman
  • Russian: лаке́й (lakéj) — liveried servant or a footman
  • Serbo-Croatian: lakej — liveried servant or a footman
  • Spanish: lacayo — liveried servant or a footman
  • Bulgarian: ласкател (laskatel) — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Bulgarian: подлизурко (podlizurko) — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 馬屁精 /马屁精 (mǎpìjīng) — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Finnish: mielistelijä — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • German: Lakai — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • German: Speichellecker — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Hungarian: talpnyaló — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Māori: tonotono — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Russian: лаке́й (lakéj) — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Russian: подхали́м (podxalím) — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Russian: лизоблюд (lizobljud) — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Russian: подли́за (podlíza) — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Serbo-Croatian: poniznik — one who is obsequious or cringing
  • Serbo-Croatian: poniznica — one who is obsequious or cringing