cynic

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: cyn=ic

CIDE DICTIONARY

cynic, a. [L. cynicus of the sect of Cynics, fr. Gr. kyniko`s, prop., dog-like, fr. ky`wn, kyno`s, dog. See Hound.].

•  Having the qualities of a surly dog; snarling; captious; currish.

  "I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received."  [1913 Webster]
•  Pertaining to the Dog Star; as, the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle.  [1913 Webster]
•  Belonging to the sect of philosophers called cynics; having the qualities of a cynic; pertaining to, or resembling, the doctrines of the cynics.  [1913 Webster]
•  Given to sneering at rectitude and the conduct of life by moral principles; believing the worst of human nature and motives; disbelieving in the reality of any human purposes which are not suggested or directed by self-interest or self-indulgence; having a sneering disbelief in the selflessness of others; as, a cynical man who scoffs at pretensions of integrity; characterized by such opinions; as, cynical views of human nature.  [1913 Webster]

  " In prose, cynical is used rather than cynic, in the senses 1 and 4."  [1913 Webster]

Cynic spasm (Med.), a convulsive contraction of the muscles of one side of the face, producing a sort of grin, suggesting certain movements in the upper lip of a dog.

cynic, n. 

•  One of a sect or school of philosophers founded by Antisthenes, and of whom Diogenes was a disciple. The first Cynics were noted for austere lives and their scorn for social customs and current philosophical opinions. Hence the term Cynic symbolized, in the popular judgment, moroseness, and contempt for the views of others.  [1913 Webster]
•  One who holds views resembling those of the Cynics; a snarler; a misanthrope; particularly, a person who believes that human conduct is directed, either consciously or unconsciously, wholly by self-interest or self-indulgence, and that appearances to the contrary are superficial and untrustworthy.  [1913 Webster]

  "He could obtain from one morose cynic, whose opinion it was impossible to despise, scarcely any not acidulated with scorn."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

cynic, n. & adj.
--n.
1 a person who has little faith in human sincerity and goodness.
2 (Cynic) one of a school of ancient Greek philosophers founded by Antisthenes, marked by ostentatious contempt for ease and pleasure.
--adj.
1 (Cynic) of the Cynics.
2 = CYNICAL.

Derivative

cynicism n.

Etymology

L cynicus f. Gk kunikos f. kuon kunos dog, nickname for a Cynic

DEVIL DICTIONARY

cynic

n. A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be. Hence the custom among the Scythians of plucking out a cynic's eyes to improve his vision.

THESAURUS

cynic

Cassandra, Eeyore, Thersites, backbiter, belittler, calamity howler, calumniator, caustic critic, debunker, decrier, defamer, defeatist, deflater, depreciator, derogator, detractor, disparager, hatchet man, killjoy, knocker, libeler, malist, man-hater, misanthrope, misanthropist, misogynist, muckraker, mudslinger, negativist, nihilist, pessimist, prophet of doom, railer, retreatist, seek-sorrow, sexist, slanderer, social critic, traducer, woman-hater, worrywart

ROGET THESAURUS

cynic

Misanthropy

N misanthropy, incivism, egotism, moroseness, cynicism, misanthrope, misanthropist, egotist, cynic, man hater, Timon, Diogenes, woman hater, misogynist, misanthropic, antisocial, unpatriotic, egotistical, morose.

Detractor

N detractor, reprover, censor, censurer, cynic, critic, caviler, carper, word-catcher, frondeur, barracker, defamer, backbiter, slanderer, Sir Benjamin Backbite, lampooner, satirist, traducer, libeler, calumniator, dawplucker, Thersites, Zoilus, good-natured friend, reviler, vituperator, castigator, shrew, muckraker, disapprover, laudator temporis acti, black-mouthed, abusive.

Asceticism

N asceticism, puritanism, sabbatarianism, cynicism, austerity, total abstinence, nephalism, mortification, maceration, sackcloth and ashes, flagellation, penance, fasting, martyrdom, ascetic, anchoret, anchorite, martyr, Heautontimorumenos, hermit, puritan, sabbatarian, cynic, sanyasi, yogi, ascetic, austere, puritanical, cynical, over-religious, acerbic.

Doubt

N unbelief doubt, unbelief, disbelief, misbelief, discredit, miscreance, infidelity, dissent, change of opinion, retraction, doubt, skepticism, scepticism, misgiving, demure, distrust, mistrust, cynicism, misdoubt, suspicion, jealousy, scruple, qualm, onus probandi, incredibility, incredibleness, incredulity, doubter, skeptic, cynic, unbeliever, unbelieving, skeptical, sceptical, incredulous as to, skeptical as to, distrustful as to, shy as to, suspicious of, doubting, doubtful, disputable, unworthy of, undeserving of belief, questionable, suspect, suspicious, open to suspicion, open to doubt, staggering, hard to believe, incredible, unbelievable, not to be believed, inconceivable, impossible, fallible, undemonstrable, controvertible, cum grano salis, with a grain of salt, with grains of allowance, fronti nulla fides, nimium ne crede colori, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes, I fear the Greeks even when bearing gifts, beware of Greeks bearing gifts, credat Judaeus Apella, let those believe who may, ad tristem partem stenua est suspicio.

Incredulity

N incredulousness, incredulity, skepticism, pyrrhonism, want of faith, suspiciousness, scrupulosity, suspicion, mistrust, cynicism, unbeliever, skeptic, cynic, misbeliever, pyrrhonist, heretic, incredulous, skeptical, unbelieving, inconvincible, hard of belief, shy of belief, disposed to doubt, indisposed to believe, suspicious, scrupulous, distrustful, cynical.