cynic means synonym of cynical. It carries an Arena rating of 1700, earned across 31 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, cynic ranks #237 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #424 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words, #636 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #829 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words.
cynic is pronounced /ˈsɪnɪk/.
Why “cynic” is a great word
CYNIC — [Noun] A person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest and who is scornfully distrustful of human sincerity or integrity. From Latin cynicus, from Ancient Greek κυνικός (kunikós, literally "dog-like"), originally derived from Κυνόσαργες (Kunósarges, a gymnasium in Athens where the founder taught), later associated with κύων (kúōn, "dog") due to the school's unconventional, ascetic lifestyle. The term entered English in the mid-16th century. Unlike a skeptic, who questions to discover truth, or a pessimist, who merely expects the worst, the cynic is defined by a specific, corrosive certainty about human motive. It is the weary smile at the philanthropist’s press conference, the cold dismissal of a lover’s vow, and the instinct to check every gift for its price tag—a defense, worn smooth by disappointment, that mistakes jadedness for wisdom.
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.
adj
- Synonym of cynical.
- Relating to the Dog Star.e.g.“the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle”
- Of or relating to the Cynics.
noun
- A person whose outlook is scornfully negative.e.g.“Well, that's one in the eye for the nay-sayers, the doubters, the cynics and assorted tosspots what make up the media and that.” — 2000 June 13, Darren Tackle, The Guardian:
- A person who believes that all people are motivated by selfishness.
- A member of a sect of Ancient Greek philosophers who believed virtue to be the only good and self-control to be the only means of achieving virtue.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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