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(There are many sources for this, this is just one)

also this

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[–] 28 points 1 month ago (1 child)

The term nepotism comes from the root nepot meaning nephew.

Nepotism comes from the practice of high-ranking clergy siring children, and then wanting to promote their bastards into choice positions. They couldn't claim to be the lad's father, so they'd instead claim to be his uncle. Thus the kid was his nephew.

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