A person who does the unpleasant or unimportant tasks for someone more powerful, or someone who doesn't think for themselves.
Unknown origin, possibly from Scottish or Yiddish, first appearing in English around 1800. It may come from a proper name (like 'flunkie' as a name for a generic servant) but the etymology is debated.
The word 'flunky' became popular in the age of industry and class tension—it's a dismissive term that suggests someone blindly follows orders without question. It's related to the word 'flunk' (to fail), suggesting flunkies lack independence!
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