Added 10 October 2026
nepotism
/ˈnɛp.ə.tɪ.zəm/ noun
Latin root: nepōs Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about nepotism at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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The favoring of relatives or also personal friends because of their relationship rather than because of their abilities.
Nepotism can get you very far in the world if you've got the right connections.
Origin
Borrowed from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from Latin nepōs (“nephew”), a reference to the practice of popes appointing relatives (most often nephews) as cardinals (cardinal-nephew) during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)