clientitis
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The situation where an organization's resident in-country staff come to regard the officials and people of the host country as "clients", and thus lose touch with the norms and aims of their home country.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Their relationship with the governments in their region is usually one of warmth and understanding, often described as “clientitis” or “clientism.”
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “clientitis” mean?
The situation where an organization's resident in-country staff come to regard the officials and people of the host country as "clients", and thus lose touch with the norms and aims of their home country.
Is “clientitis” formal or informal?
clientitis is generally slang.