What does nepotistic mean?
Nepotistic describes decisions or practices that favor relatives over other applicants, employees, or competitors. The word is especially common in political and institutional criticism, referring to appointments, hiring, promotion, public contracts, or other benefits granted because of family relationships rather than merit or an open selection process. Its critical connotation is important: calling something nepotistic suggests that qualification, fairness, and impartial judgment have been displaced by kinship. The related noun nepotism names the practice itself. Nepotistic is also used more neutrally when a writer is simply identifying or analyzing an established pattern, although the term remains evaluative. The word is understood in British, American, and other varieties of modern English, but it is more prevalent in formal political, journalistic, legal, and organizational prose than in everyday conversation.
adjectiveCharacterized by nepotism, especially the granting of jobs, appointments, or other advantages to relatives rather than on the basis of merit.
- Characterized by preferential treatment of relatives, especially in appointments, employment, promotion, or the granting of benefits.
"The committee condemned the nepotistic appointment of the minister's brother without a competitive selection process."
"The report alleged that senior officials had used nepotistic hiring to advance their relatives."
"Although officially described as a family business, the appointment was widely regarded as nepotistic."
Nepotistic names the familiar political shortcut: choosing the relative first and asking about qualifications later.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nepotistic come from?
Nepotistic was formed in English from nepotism and the suffix -istic. Nepotism entered English through French népotisme from Italian nepotismo, ultimately deriving from Latin nepos, meaning “nephew,” whose meaning expanded to refer to younger relatives and descendants. The word's modern sense developed by analogy with the earlier practice of appointing ecclesiastical relatives, and later came to include preferential treatment in politics and other institutions. Nephew and niece are English cognates associated with the same Latin family of words.
Related word forms
How nepotistic is actually used
The term is chiefly used in political, institutional, organizational, and journalistic contexts. It usually carries a strongly critical or disapproving connotation, although descriptive use can simply identify a documented practice or policy.
Easily confused with nepotistic
Nepotism is the practice of favoring relatives, whereas nepotistic describes conduct, appointments, or policies shaped by that practice.