nepotism

Pronunciation: /ˈnepəˌtɪzəm/ (IPA), nep-uh-tiz-uhm (American)

Origin: From Latin "nepos" meaning "nephew" or "grandchild"

Part of Speech: noun

Meanings:

1. The practice of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs or opportunities, regardless of their qualifications.
2. Patronage bestowed or favoritism shown based on family relationships.

Example Sentences:

1. The company's hiring practices were criticized for blatant nepotism when the CEO's son was given a high-level position straight out of college.
2. Many monarchies throughout history have been perpetuated through nepotism, with power passing from one family member to another.
3. The small town's government was rife with nepotism, as most officials were related to one another.

Related Words:

• Verb: None
• Adjective: Nepotistic
• Adverb: Nepotistically
• Synonyms: favoritism, cronyism, patronage, preferential treatment

Memorization Trick: Think of "NEPotism" as "NEPhew-ism" - the practice of favoring nephews or other family members (as nephews were often favored in medieval Catholic Church appointments, which is where the term originated).