cynic
See also Cynic
English
Alternative forms
- cynick (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English cynike, cynicke, from Middle French cinicque, from Latin cynicus, from Ancient Greek κυνικός (kynikós), originally derived from the portico in Athens called Κυνόσαργες (Kunosarges), the earliest home of the Cynic school, later reinterpreted as a derivate of κύων (kúōn, “dog”), in contemptuous allusion to the uncouth and aggressive manners adopted by the members of the school.
Pronunciation
Adjective
cynic (comparative more cynic, superlative most cynic)
Noun
cynic (plural cynics)
- A person who believes that all people are motivated by selfishness.
- A person whose outlook is scornfully negative.
Related terms
Translations
A person who believes that all people are motivated by selfishness
A person whose outlook is scornfully negative
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Anagrams
Middle French
Alternative forms
- cynicque (masculine and feminine)
Adjective
cynic m (feminine singular cynicque, masculine plural cynics, feminine plural cynicques)