sinecurist
Definition
Noun: A sinecurist is a person who holds a sinecure — a position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary or other benefits.
Usage Examples
- (A person receiving payment for a job with no duties.)
- (Someone occupying a paid position without actual work.)
Advanced Usage
"To be a sinecurist": to occupy a position that is essentially a sinecure.
- After decades of service, he became a sinecurist in the royal household, receiving a salary for nominal duties. (He was given a job that required no real effort.)
"A sinecurist in government": a person holding a public office that is largely ceremonial or redundant.
- The reform aimed to eliminate sinecurists from the civil service, reducing wasteful spending. (Remove employees who receive pay without performing work.)
Variants and Related Words
Sinecure (n): a position requiring little or no work but providing income.
- The sinecure was created to reward loyal supporters. (A job with no real duties.)
Sinecurism (n): the practice or system of holding sinecures.
- Sinecurism was rampant in the old regime. (The widespread use of paid positions without work.)
Synonyms
- Placeholder: a person who holds a position but does not perform its duties.
- Figurehead: a nominal leader or official with no real power or responsibility.
Related Idioms
"A job for life": a position that guarantees income without requiring effort.
- His appointment was seen as a job for life, making him a sinecurist. (A secure, easy role.)
"To draw a salary for nothing": to receive payment without working.
- The sinecurist drew a salary for nothing, attending only one meeting a year. (Paid without contributing.)