crony
n. countablen. a close friend or associate, especially one who is in a position of power. It often has a negative meaning when someone uses their power to help their friends instead of the public.
n. a close associate or companion, typically one who shares a person's interests or opinions. Often carries a pejorative connotation in political contexts, implying the use of power for personal or partisan gain.
The president was accused of hiring his cronies for government jobs.
The CEO was criticized for promoting his long-time cronies to high-paying positions without a proper interview process.
The investigation revealed a network of cronies who had benefited from the administration's controversial tax breaks, leading to calls for a complete overhaul of the hiring process.
Coined between 1655 and 1665 from Ancient Greek χρόνιος (khrónios, “perennial, long-lasting”); see also chrono- (“time”). Initially Cambridge University slang, in sense of “chum”, as “friend of long standing”, with illegal connotation later. Early spellings included chrony, as in 1665 diary by Samuel Pepys, supporting the Greek origin.