Word for a cushy position awarded to a crony? [duplicate]





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  • Word meaning a job someone is installed in where they don’t do anything [duplicate]

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  • Fake job given as appeasement? [duplicate]

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I'm struggling to recall this word. If I recall correctly, it's of French origin. My search has so far been fruitless.



The nearest equivalent I came up with was the idiom pulling strings but that is obviously English and not a single word.




pull strings / wires

(a) to use one's influence or authority, usually in secret, in order to bring about a desired result.

(b) to gain or attempt to gain one's objectives by means of influential friends, associates, etc.:



He had his uncle pull strings to get him a promotion.











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Nov 19 at 17:43


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  • 1




    For what it's worth (and clearly not answering your question), the expression 'jobs for the boys' also describes this.
    – Jeremy
    Nov 19 at 13:32

















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This question already has an answer here:




  • Word meaning a job someone is installed in where they don’t do anything [duplicate]

    3 answers



  • Fake job given as appeasement? [duplicate]

    2 answers




I'm struggling to recall this word. If I recall correctly, it's of French origin. My search has so far been fruitless.



The nearest equivalent I came up with was the idiom pulling strings but that is obviously English and not a single word.




pull strings / wires

(a) to use one's influence or authority, usually in secret, in order to bring about a desired result.

(b) to gain or attempt to gain one's objectives by means of influential friends, associates, etc.:



He had his uncle pull strings to get him a promotion.











share|improve this question















marked as duplicate by 1006a, Mari-Lou A single-word-requests
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  • 1




    For what it's worth (and clearly not answering your question), the expression 'jobs for the boys' also describes this.
    – Jeremy
    Nov 19 at 13:32













up vote
12
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favorite









up vote
12
down vote

favorite












This question already has an answer here:




  • Word meaning a job someone is installed in where they don’t do anything [duplicate]

    3 answers



  • Fake job given as appeasement? [duplicate]

    2 answers




I'm struggling to recall this word. If I recall correctly, it's of French origin. My search has so far been fruitless.



The nearest equivalent I came up with was the idiom pulling strings but that is obviously English and not a single word.




pull strings / wires

(a) to use one's influence or authority, usually in secret, in order to bring about a desired result.

(b) to gain or attempt to gain one's objectives by means of influential friends, associates, etc.:



He had his uncle pull strings to get him a promotion.











share|improve this question
















This question already has an answer here:




  • Word meaning a job someone is installed in where they don’t do anything [duplicate]

    3 answers



  • Fake job given as appeasement? [duplicate]

    2 answers




I'm struggling to recall this word. If I recall correctly, it's of French origin. My search has so far been fruitless.



The nearest equivalent I came up with was the idiom pulling strings but that is obviously English and not a single word.




pull strings / wires

(a) to use one's influence or authority, usually in secret, in order to bring about a desired result.

(b) to gain or attempt to gain one's objectives by means of influential friends, associates, etc.:



He had his uncle pull strings to get him a promotion.






This question already has an answer here:




  • Word meaning a job someone is installed in where they don’t do anything [duplicate]

    3 answers



  • Fake job given as appeasement? [duplicate]

    2 answers








single-word-requests loan-words






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edited Nov 19 at 10:12









Mari-Lou A

61k54213445




61k54213445










asked Nov 19 at 2:23









nico2001

636




636




marked as duplicate by 1006a, Mari-Lou A single-word-requests
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Nov 19 at 17:43


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marked as duplicate by 1006a, Mari-Lou A single-word-requests
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Nov 19 at 17:43


This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.










  • 1




    For what it's worth (and clearly not answering your question), the expression 'jobs for the boys' also describes this.
    – Jeremy
    Nov 19 at 13:32














  • 1




    For what it's worth (and clearly not answering your question), the expression 'jobs for the boys' also describes this.
    – Jeremy
    Nov 19 at 13:32








1




1




For what it's worth (and clearly not answering your question), the expression 'jobs for the boys' also describes this.
– Jeremy
Nov 19 at 13:32




For what it's worth (and clearly not answering your question), the expression 'jobs for the boys' also describes this.
– Jeremy
Nov 19 at 13:32










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
26
down vote



accepted










sinecure:




sinecure (sīˈnĭ-kyo͝orˌ, sĭnˈĭ-)



n. A position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary.



n. Archaic An ecclesiastical benefice not attached to the spiritual duties of a parish.



More at Wordnik from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition







share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    To address the OP's question, I believe it's actually derived from Latin, not French.
    – IMil
    Nov 19 at 2:59






  • 5




    @IMil French has the same word (sinécure), both derived from the Latin phrase beneficium sine cura (“benefice without care”), but as far as I can tell dictionaries indicate that both English and French got it independently from ecclesiastical Latin, rather than French getting it from Latin and English getting it from French.
    – KRyan
    Nov 19 at 13:22


















up vote
5
down vote













I believe the word you're looking for is



Nepotism



NOUN



the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.



"his years in office were marked by corruption and nepotism"



ORIGIN
mid 17th century: from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nipote ‘nephew’ (with reference to privileges bestowed on the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons).



source: oxford dictionary






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    OP is looking for sinecure. Nepotism is a mechanism by which one might obtain a sinecure.
    – Jim
    Nov 19 at 17:01






  • 1




    But the OP also mentioned "pulling strings", which is the mechanism.
    – Barmar
    Nov 19 at 17:40










  • The op also mentioned a "relationship" such as crony, and the word she was looking for has French origin. Nepotism fits both of these qualifications, while sinecure does not.
    – Holly Plyler
    Nov 19 at 20:14




















2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
26
down vote



accepted










sinecure:




sinecure (sīˈnĭ-kyo͝orˌ, sĭnˈĭ-)



n. A position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary.



n. Archaic An ecclesiastical benefice not attached to the spiritual duties of a parish.



More at Wordnik from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition







share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    To address the OP's question, I believe it's actually derived from Latin, not French.
    – IMil
    Nov 19 at 2:59






  • 5




    @IMil French has the same word (sinécure), both derived from the Latin phrase beneficium sine cura (“benefice without care”), but as far as I can tell dictionaries indicate that both English and French got it independently from ecclesiastical Latin, rather than French getting it from Latin and English getting it from French.
    – KRyan
    Nov 19 at 13:22















up vote
26
down vote



accepted










sinecure:




sinecure (sīˈnĭ-kyo͝orˌ, sĭnˈĭ-)



n. A position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary.



n. Archaic An ecclesiastical benefice not attached to the spiritual duties of a parish.



More at Wordnik from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition







share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    To address the OP's question, I believe it's actually derived from Latin, not French.
    – IMil
    Nov 19 at 2:59






  • 5




    @IMil French has the same word (sinécure), both derived from the Latin phrase beneficium sine cura (“benefice without care”), but as far as I can tell dictionaries indicate that both English and French got it independently from ecclesiastical Latin, rather than French getting it from Latin and English getting it from French.
    – KRyan
    Nov 19 at 13:22













up vote
26
down vote



accepted







up vote
26
down vote



accepted






sinecure:




sinecure (sīˈnĭ-kyo͝orˌ, sĭnˈĭ-)



n. A position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary.



n. Archaic An ecclesiastical benefice not attached to the spiritual duties of a parish.



More at Wordnik from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition







share|improve this answer














sinecure:




sinecure (sīˈnĭ-kyo͝orˌ, sĭnˈĭ-)



n. A position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary.



n. Archaic An ecclesiastical benefice not attached to the spiritual duties of a parish.



More at Wordnik from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition








share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited Nov 19 at 2:49









Laurel

29.1k654103




29.1k654103










answered Nov 19 at 2:26









Kay V

37025




37025








  • 1




    To address the OP's question, I believe it's actually derived from Latin, not French.
    – IMil
    Nov 19 at 2:59






  • 5




    @IMil French has the same word (sinécure), both derived from the Latin phrase beneficium sine cura (“benefice without care”), but as far as I can tell dictionaries indicate that both English and French got it independently from ecclesiastical Latin, rather than French getting it from Latin and English getting it from French.
    – KRyan
    Nov 19 at 13:22














  • 1




    To address the OP's question, I believe it's actually derived from Latin, not French.
    – IMil
    Nov 19 at 2:59






  • 5




    @IMil French has the same word (sinécure), both derived from the Latin phrase beneficium sine cura (“benefice without care”), but as far as I can tell dictionaries indicate that both English and French got it independently from ecclesiastical Latin, rather than French getting it from Latin and English getting it from French.
    – KRyan
    Nov 19 at 13:22








1




1




To address the OP's question, I believe it's actually derived from Latin, not French.
– IMil
Nov 19 at 2:59




To address the OP's question, I believe it's actually derived from Latin, not French.
– IMil
Nov 19 at 2:59




5




5




@IMil French has the same word (sinécure), both derived from the Latin phrase beneficium sine cura (“benefice without care”), but as far as I can tell dictionaries indicate that both English and French got it independently from ecclesiastical Latin, rather than French getting it from Latin and English getting it from French.
– KRyan
Nov 19 at 13:22




@IMil French has the same word (sinécure), both derived from the Latin phrase beneficium sine cura (“benefice without care”), but as far as I can tell dictionaries indicate that both English and French got it independently from ecclesiastical Latin, rather than French getting it from Latin and English getting it from French.
– KRyan
Nov 19 at 13:22












up vote
5
down vote













I believe the word you're looking for is



Nepotism



NOUN



the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.



"his years in office were marked by corruption and nepotism"



ORIGIN
mid 17th century: from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nipote ‘nephew’ (with reference to privileges bestowed on the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons).



source: oxford dictionary






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    OP is looking for sinecure. Nepotism is a mechanism by which one might obtain a sinecure.
    – Jim
    Nov 19 at 17:01






  • 1




    But the OP also mentioned "pulling strings", which is the mechanism.
    – Barmar
    Nov 19 at 17:40










  • The op also mentioned a "relationship" such as crony, and the word she was looking for has French origin. Nepotism fits both of these qualifications, while sinecure does not.
    – Holly Plyler
    Nov 19 at 20:14

















up vote
5
down vote













I believe the word you're looking for is



Nepotism



NOUN



the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.



"his years in office were marked by corruption and nepotism"



ORIGIN
mid 17th century: from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nipote ‘nephew’ (with reference to privileges bestowed on the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons).



source: oxford dictionary






share|improve this answer

















  • 1




    OP is looking for sinecure. Nepotism is a mechanism by which one might obtain a sinecure.
    – Jim
    Nov 19 at 17:01






  • 1




    But the OP also mentioned "pulling strings", which is the mechanism.
    – Barmar
    Nov 19 at 17:40










  • The op also mentioned a "relationship" such as crony, and the word she was looking for has French origin. Nepotism fits both of these qualifications, while sinecure does not.
    – Holly Plyler
    Nov 19 at 20:14















up vote
5
down vote










up vote
5
down vote









I believe the word you're looking for is



Nepotism



NOUN



the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.



"his years in office were marked by corruption and nepotism"



ORIGIN
mid 17th century: from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nipote ‘nephew’ (with reference to privileges bestowed on the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons).



source: oxford dictionary






share|improve this answer












I believe the word you're looking for is



Nepotism



NOUN



the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.



"his years in office were marked by corruption and nepotism"



ORIGIN
mid 17th century: from French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nipote ‘nephew’ (with reference to privileges bestowed on the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons).



source: oxford dictionary







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered Nov 19 at 15:00









Holly Plyler

592




592








  • 1




    OP is looking for sinecure. Nepotism is a mechanism by which one might obtain a sinecure.
    – Jim
    Nov 19 at 17:01






  • 1




    But the OP also mentioned "pulling strings", which is the mechanism.
    – Barmar
    Nov 19 at 17:40










  • The op also mentioned a "relationship" such as crony, and the word she was looking for has French origin. Nepotism fits both of these qualifications, while sinecure does not.
    – Holly Plyler
    Nov 19 at 20:14
















  • 1




    OP is looking for sinecure. Nepotism is a mechanism by which one might obtain a sinecure.
    – Jim
    Nov 19 at 17:01






  • 1




    But the OP also mentioned "pulling strings", which is the mechanism.
    – Barmar
    Nov 19 at 17:40










  • The op also mentioned a "relationship" such as crony, and the word she was looking for has French origin. Nepotism fits both of these qualifications, while sinecure does not.
    – Holly Plyler
    Nov 19 at 20:14










1




1




OP is looking for sinecure. Nepotism is a mechanism by which one might obtain a sinecure.
– Jim
Nov 19 at 17:01




OP is looking for sinecure. Nepotism is a mechanism by which one might obtain a sinecure.
– Jim
Nov 19 at 17:01




1




1




But the OP also mentioned "pulling strings", which is the mechanism.
– Barmar
Nov 19 at 17:40




But the OP also mentioned "pulling strings", which is the mechanism.
– Barmar
Nov 19 at 17:40












The op also mentioned a "relationship" such as crony, and the word she was looking for has French origin. Nepotism fits both of these qualifications, while sinecure does not.
– Holly Plyler
Nov 19 at 20:14






The op also mentioned a "relationship" such as crony, and the word she was looking for has French origin. Nepotism fits both of these qualifications, while sinecure does not.
– Holly Plyler
Nov 19 at 20:14





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