He will always be known as a nepo baby Premium

Learn how to pronounce "nepo" and its origin from Latin "nepote" meaning "nephew". Understand the concept of nepotism & its disapproval in the expression "nepo baby". Also, explore the difference between "penetrate" & "permeate".

The first syllable in ‘nepo’ rhymes with ‘pep’, ‘rep’ and ‘hep’, while the following ‘o’ sounds like the ‘o’ in ‘no’, ‘go’ and ‘so’. The word is pronounced ‘NEP-o’, with the stress on the first syllable. Although the expression ‘nepo baby’ is relatively new, the word from which we get ‘nepo’ is rather old. It is the abbreviated form of ‘nepotism’; a word which comes from the Latin ‘nepote’, meaning ‘nephew’. When highly influential people like politicians, businessmen, etc., use their clout to promote their friends, relatives and children, it is said to be a form of nepotism. The expression ‘nepo baby’ is normally used to refer to the children of well-known celebrities; children who have followed in the footsteps of their parents, and have succeeded in their career. It carries with it a sense of disapproval. When you call someone a ‘nepo baby’, what you are suggesting is that the individual would not have succeeded if it hadn’t been for the influential parents. The success, therefore, is undeserving.

No matter what he achieves, he will always be known as a nepo baby.

Being labelled a ‘nepo baby’ always irritates him.

The verb ‘penetrate’ comes from the Latin ‘penetratus’ meaning ‘to get into, enter’. When you penetrate something, you force your way into it. The use of this word suggests that there is some sort of stiff resistance to what you are trying to achieve – in this case, gain entry to something - and this has to be overcome. Since some sort of aggressive action is required for any kind of penetration, the word, at times, carries with it a negative connotation.

Luckily for the soldier, the stray bullet failed to penetrate his skull.

The fog was so thick that sunlight failed to penetrate through it.

The word ‘permeate’ does not have the sense of violence that is associated with ‘penetrate’. It is normally used to mean to pass through something without any rupture or tear; the entry, unlike in the case of penetration, is gradual and subtle. Once it has entered, it spreads everywhere. The word is mostly used when talking about smells and liquids.