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Jun 26, 2018
This week’s theme
Words from politics

This week’s words
malfeasance
nepotism
emolument
collusion
impeach

nepotism
Cartoon: Kipling West

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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

nepotism

PRONUNCIATION:
(NEP-uh-tiz-uhm)

MEANING:
noun: Favoritism shown to relatives and friends, especially in business or political appointments.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Italian nepotismo, from Latin nepos (grandson, nephew). Ultimately from the Indo-European root nepot- (grandson, nephew) that is also the source of the words nephew and niece. Earliest documented use: 1669.

NOTES:
The word originated from the practice of popes in the Roman Catholic Church to confer important positions to their sons. Since a pope had taken the vow of chastity, his son was euphemistically called a nephew.

USAGE:
“[Ivanka is] a walking advertisement for the dangers of nepotism, an exemplar of class privilege, and a perfect representative for Republican know-nothingism.”
Jennifer Rubin; Ivanka Trump Is a Walking Advertisement for the Dangers of Nepotism; The Independent (London, UK); Dec 22, 2017.

See more usage examples of nepotism in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
I believe the greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to be seen, heard, understood, and touched by them. The greatest gift I can give is to see, hear, understand, and touch another person. -Virginia Satir, psychotherapist and author (26 Jun 1916-1988)

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