noun · verb · 3 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.
Received-Pronunciation:lĭkʹspĭtl
Received-Pronunciation:lĭkʹspĭtəl
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈlɪkspɪtl/
Received-Pronunciation:
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A fawning toady; a base sycophant.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: brown noser, flatterer, sycophant, toady
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The practice of giving empty flattery for personal gain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To play the toady; take the role of a lickspittle to please (someone).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
A compounding: lick (“pass one’s tongue over”) + spittle (“saliva”); the verb may derive by back-formation from the nominal derivation lickspittling (see below).
Across languages
Translations
34 source translations are retained for this English entry.
