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Webster 1913 Edition
Lackey
Lack′ey
,Noun.
pl.
Lackeys
(#)
. [F. ]
laquais
; cf. Sp. & Pg. lacayo
; of uncertain origin; perh. of German origin, and akin to E. lick
, Verb.
An attending male servant; a footman; a servile follower.
Like a Christian footboy or a gentleman’s
lackey
. Shakespeare
Lackey caterpillar
(Zool.)
, the caterpillar, or larva, of any bombycid moth of the genus
– Clisiocampa
; – so called from its party-colored markings. The common European species (Clisiocampa neustria
) is striped with blue, yellow, and red, with a white line on the back. The American species (Clisiocampa Americana
and Clisiocampa sylvatica
) are commonly called tent caterpillars
. See Tent caterpillar
, under Tent
. Lackey moth
(Zool.)
, the moth which produces the lackey caterpillar.
Lack′ey
,Verb.
T.
To attend as a lackey; to wait upon.
A thousand liveried angels
lackey
her. Milton.
Lack′ey
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Lackeyed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Lackeying
.] To act or serve as lackey; to pay servile attendance.
Webster 1828 Edition
Lackey
LACK'EY
,Noun.
An attending servant; a footboy or footman.
LACK'EY
,Verb.
T.
LACK'EY
,Verb.
I.
Oft have I servants seen on horses ride, the free and noble lackey by their side.
Definition 2025
lackey
lackey
English
Alternative forms
- lacquey (verb only)
Noun
lackey (plural lackeys)
- A footman, a liveried male servant.
- A fawning, servile follower; a lickspittle.
Derived terms
- lackey caterpillar
- lackey moth
Translations
liveried male servant
a fawning, servile follower
Verb
lackey (third-person singular simple present lackeys, present participle lackeying, simple past and past participle lackeyed)
- (transitive) To attend, wait upon, serve obsequiously
- Milton
- A thousand liveried angels lackey her.
- Milton
- (intransitive, obsolete) To toady, play the flunky
References
- "lackey." Online Etymology Dictionary. 2008