# apple polisher

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/apple-polisher
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A sycophant; a toady.

## Examples

- Nobody likes the apple polisher in our office.
- She acts like an apple polisher whenever the director enters the room.
- An apple polisher always agrees with everything the team leader says.
- He is such an apple polisher that he brings the boss coffee every single morning.
- The teacher ignored the apple polisher who constantly offered to clean the whiteboard just to get a better grade.
- You should focus on your work instead of being an apple polisher and laughing at all of the supervisor's bad jokes.
- The manager grew tired of the constant flattery from the office apple polisher, who hoped to secure a promotion through insincere praise.

## Origin

Attested from the 1920s, the term derives from the image of an obsequious schoolchild presenting a piece of fruit to a teacher. The practice of polishing the apple before the gift was made served as a visible indicator of the student's desire for preferential treatment. The idiom entered the American lexicon to describe those who employ such small, calculated acts of flattery to secure an advantage from their superiors.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.