Word of the Day

Sunday, March 06, 2005

nepotism

\NEP-uh-tiz-um\ , noun;

Favoritism shown to members of one's family, as in business; bestowal of patronage in consideration of relationship, rather than of merit or of legal claim.

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Quotes:

I got a job there as a result of my grandfather being on the board of directors -- a lesson in loyalty here, or, should I say, just plain old nepotism.

-- James Carville, Stickin': The Case for Loyalty

The staff was recruited by unabashed nepotism.

-- Noel Annan, Changing Enemies

Some custodians have worked their way around more recent nepotism rules by hiring each other's relatives.

-- Diane Ravitch and Joseph P. Viteritti, New Schools for a New Century

Origin:

Nepotism derives from Latin nepot-, nepos, "grandson, nephew." It is related to nephew, which comes from the Latin via Old French neveu.