Main Entry: nep·o·tism

Pronunciation: \ˈne-pə-ˌti-zəm\

Function: noun

Etymology: French népotisme, from Italian nepotismo, from nepote nephew, from Latin nepot-, nepos grandson, nephew — more at nephew

Date: 1670

: favoritism (as in appointment to a job) based on kinship

— nep·o·tis·tic \ˌne-pə-ˈtis-tik\ adjective