cynic
[ sin-ik ]
/ ˈsɪn ɪk /
noun
a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.
(initial capital letter) one of a sect of Greek philosophers, 4th century b.c., who advocated the doctrines that virtue is the only good, that the essence of virtue is self-control, and that surrender to any external influence is beneath human dignity.
a person who shows or expresses a bitterly or sneeringly cynical attitude.
adjective
(initial capital letter)Also Cynical. of or relating to the Cynics or their doctrines.
Medicine/Medical Now Rare. resembling the actions of a snarling dog.
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Origin of cynic
1540–50; <Latin Cynicus <Greek Kynikós Cynic, literally, doglike, currish, equivalent to kyn- (stem of kýōn ) dog + -ikos -ic
OTHER WORDS FROM cynic
an·ti·cyn·ic, noun, adjectiveWords nearby cynic
Cymru, Cymry, cynanche, Cynewulf, cynghanedd, cynic, cynical, cynicism, cynic spasm, cyno-, cynocephaly
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for cynic
British Dictionary definitions for cynic (1 of 2)
cynic
/ (ˈsɪnɪk) /
noun
a person who believes the worst about people or the outcome of events
adjective
a less common word for cynical
astronomy of or relating to Sirius, the Dog Star
Word Origin for cynic
C16: via Latin from Greek Kunikos, from kuōn dog
British Dictionary definitions for cynic (2 of 2)
Cynic
/ (ˈsɪnɪk) /
noun
a member of a sect founded by Antisthenes that scorned worldly things and held that self-control was the key to the only good
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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