portaborse
lackey
noun por-tah-BOR-seh Rare
Origin: Literally 'bag-carrier', from portare (to carry) + borsa (bag).
Also means
yes-man
Usage Note
Portaborse is a compound noun with invariable form: il portaborse, i portaborse. It literally means someone who carries another person's bags, but in Italian political and journalistic language it has become a scathing term for a subservient aide, a fixer, or a lackey who does the dirty work of a powerful patron. It carries strong negative connotations of servility and corruption.
Examples
"Quel politico è circondato da portaborse."
Natural Translation
That politician is surrounded by lackeys.
Related Words
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