Courtierism

/ˈkɔːrtɪərɪzəm/ noun

Definition

The practices, characteristics, or behavior typical of a courtier; servile flattery or conformity to court life; the ethos of court life and court politics.

Etymology

From 'courtier' (a person who attends a royal court) with the suffix '-ism' (indicating a system of beliefs, practices, or characteristics), gaining currency in the 16th-17th centuries.

Kelly Says

Machiavelli's famous book 'The Prince' spawned countless guides on 'courtierism'—people actually studied how to flatter, manipulate, and navigate power at court like it was a science, because survival literally depended on getting court politics right!

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