cynic

Meaning

Noun

1. A person whose outlook is scornfully negative.
2. A person who believes that all people are motivated by selfishness.

Adj

1. cynical (in all senses)
2. (not-comparable) Relating to the Dog Star.

Synonyms

cynical

faultfinder

pessimist

sneerer

canine

perverse individual

misanthrope

sarcastic

Translations

κυνικός

cynique

Zyniker

cinico

cínico

cínico

cynicus

cínic

zynisch

cynisme

Nörgler

kinik

Kyniker

المتهكم

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsɪnɪk/

Etymology

From Middle English cynike, cynicke, from Middle French cynique, from Latin cynicus, from Ancient Greek κυνικός (kunikós), originally derived from the portico in Athens called Κυνόσαργες (Kunósarges), the earliest home of the Cynic school, later reinterpreted as being derived from κύων (kúōn, “dog”), in a contemptuous allusion to the uncouth and aggressive manners adopted by the members of the school.