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The BFD Word of the Day

,   and  Peter Andersen
1 min read
word of the day

The word for today is…

nepotism (noun) – Favoritism shown or patronage granted to relatives, as in business.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : During his papacy from 1471–1484, Sixtus IV granted many special favors to members of his family, in particular his nephews. This practice of papal favoritism was carried on by his successors, and in 1667 it was the subject of Gregorio Leti’s book Il Nepotismo di Roma—titled in the English translation, The History of the Popes’ Nephews. Shortly after the book’s appearance, nepotism began to be used in English for the showing of special favor or unfair preference to any relative by someone in any position of power, be it ecclesiastical or not. (The nep- spelling is from nepote , a 17th-century variant of Italian nipote, meaning “nephew.”)

See – it is all about the Nephs!

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