Sybaritism
(Syb"a*rit*ism) n. Luxuriousness; effeminacy; wantonness; voluptuousness.
Sycamine
(Syc"a*mine) n. [L. sycaminus, Gr. perhaps of Semitic origin.] See Sycamore.
Sycamore
(Syc"a*more) n. [L. sycomorus, Gr. the fig mulberry; a fig + the black mulberry; or perhaps
of Semitic origin: cf. F. sycomore. Cf. Mulberry.] (Bot.) (a) A large tree (Ficus Sycomorus) allied to
the common fig. It is found in Egypt and Syria, and is the sycamore, or sycamine, of Scripture. (b) The
American plane tree, or buttonwood. (c) A large European species of maple (Acer Pseudo-Platanus).
[Written sometimes sycomore.]
Syce
(Syce) n. [Ar. saïs.] A groom. [India]
Sycee
(Sy*cee") n. [Said to be from a Chinese word, se-tze or se-sze, meaning, fine silk, and to be so
called because if pure it may be drawn out into fine threads.] Silver, pounded into ingots of the shape
of a shoe, and used as currency. The most common weight is about one pound troy. [China] McElrath.
Sychnocarpous
(Sych`no*car"pous) a. [Gr. much or frequent + fruit.] (Bot.) Having the capacity of
bearing several successive crops of fruit without perishing; as, sychnocarpous plants.
Sycite
(Sy"cite) n. [Gr. figlike, fr. a fig.] (Min.) A nodule of flint, or a pebble, which resembles a fig.
[Obs.]
Sycoceric
(Syc`o*cer"ic) a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained by the oxidation
of sycoceryl alcohol.
Sycoceryl
(Syc`o*ce"ryl) n. [Gr. a fig + wax + -yl.] (Chem.) A radical, of the aromatic series, regarded
as an essential ingredient of certain compounds found in the waxy resin of an Australian species of fig.
Sycock
(Sy"cock) n. (Zoöl.) The missel thrush. [Prov. Eng.]
Sycones
(||Sy*co"nes) n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. a fig.] (Zoöl.) A division of calcareous sponges.
They usually resemble a fig, being vase-shaped with a fringed opening at the summit. The feeding cells
are in ampullæ connected with radial tubes in the thickened walls of the body.
Syconium
(||Sy*co"ni*um ||Sy*co"nus) n. [NL., fr. Gr. the fig.] (Bot.) A collective fleshy fruit, in which
the ovaries are hidden within a hollow receptacle, as in the fig.
Sycophancy
(Syc"o*phan*cy) n. [Cf. L. sycophantia deceit, Gr. false accusation.] The character or
characteristic of a sycophant. Hence: -
(a) False accusation; calumniation; talebearing. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
(b) Obsequious flattery; servility.
The sycophancy of A.Philips had prejudiced Mr. Addison against Pope.
Bp. Warburton. Sycophant
(Syc"o*phant) n. [L. sycophanta a slanderer, deceiver, parasite, Gr. a false accuser, false
adviser, literally, a fig shower; a fig + to show: cf. F. sycophante. The reason for the name is not certainly
known. See Phenomenon.]
1. An informer; a talebearer. [Obs.] "Accusing sycophants, of all men, did best sort to his nature." Sir P.
Sidney.
2. A base parasite; a mean or servile flatterer; especially, a flatterer of princes and great men.
A sycophant will everything admire:
Each verse, each sentence, sets his soul on fire.
Dryden.
