lackey

1 of 2

noun

lack·​ey ˈla-kē 

plural lackeys

1

a

: footman sense 2, servant

b

: someone who does menial tasks or runs errands for another

2

: a servile follower : toady

lackey

2 of 2

verb

lackeyed; lackeying

intransitive verb

archaic : to serve as a lackey : toady

transitive verb

: to wait upon or serve obsequiously

Synonyms

Noun

• daily [British]
• domestic
• flunky
• flunkey
• flunkie
• menial
• retainer
• servant
• steward

Examples of lackey in a Sentence

Noun

He was nothing but a spineless lackey of the establishment.

a celebrity surrounded by his lackeys

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The first principle of Chavismo, the movement created by Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez, is that Chavistas are locked in a permanent struggle with the imperialist United States and its lackeys in the Venezuelan oligarchy. —Ivan Briscoe, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2019

Long dismissed as a lackey or a laughingstock (thanks to his looks and his limp), the former driver turned factory manager spots an opportunity where others only see catastrophe. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2024

Verb

With the world order disrupted, Mario searches for seven stars to defeat villain Smithy and his pointy lackeys. —WIRED, 15 Nov. 2023

The trio quickly find themselves in a new power struggle for control of the company against Logan's C-suite lackeys Frank (Peter Friedman), Karl (David Rasche) and Hugo (Fisher Stevens). —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French laquais

First Known Use

Noun

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1568, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

lackey

noun

lack·​ey

ˈlak-ē

plural lackeys

1

: footman sense 2

2

: an overly respectful follower : toady