[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

nepotism \nep"otism\ ?; 277, n. l. nepus, nepotus, nephew:
   cf. f. n'epotisme. see nephew.
   undue attachment to relations; favoritism shown to members of
   one's family; bestowal of patronage in consideration of
   relationship, rather than of merit or of legal claim.
   1913 webster

         from nepotism alexander v. was safe; for he was without
         kindred or relatives. but there was another perhaps
         more fatal nepotism, which turned the tide of
         popularity against him -- the nepotism of his order.
                                                  --milman.
   1913 webster
see also:
nephew 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

nepotism
     n : favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in
         power as by giving them jobs

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

27 moby thesaurus words for "nepotism":
   bias, boodle, campaign contribution, campaign fund, discrimination,
   favoritism, graft, inclination, inequality, interest, involvement,
   leaning, one-sidedness, parti pris, partiality, partisanism,
   partisanship, preference, preferential treatment, public tit,
   public trough, slush fund, spoils of office, spoils system,
   undetachment, undispassionateness, unneutrality

[4] : THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993)

nepotism, n.  appointing your grandmother to office for the good of
the party.

Nepotism >> N Words
Nepotism, definition of term: Nepotism
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