cynic

[sin-ik] /ˈsɪn ɪk/
noun
1.
a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.
2.
(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.
3.
a person who shows or expresses a bitterly or sneeringly cynical attitude.
adjective
4.
cynical.
5.
(initial capital letter). Also, Cynical. of or pertaining to the Cynics or their doctrines.
6.
Medicine/Medical Now Rare. resembling the actions of a snarling dog.
Origin
1540-50; < Latin Cynicus < Greek Kynikós Cynic, literally, doglike, currish, equivalent to kyn- (stem of kýōn) dog + -ikos - ic
Related forms
anticynic, noun, adjective
Can be confused
cynic, optimist, pessimist, skeptic.
Synonyms
1, 3. skeptic, pessimist, misanthrope.
Examples from the web for cynic
  • Nor is he a cynic in the sense of being meanly hardened.
  • But it is preferable for psychology to speak the truth, rather than that this task should be left to the cynic.
  • He famously said that a cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value you of nothing.
  • Don't call me a cynic, you sunny fresh-start enthusiasts.
  • And in the eyes of a cynic, both might be seen as having a stake in featuring positive results more than negative ones.
  • The cynic might conclude that the problem is simply one of developers saving a buck.
  • To the layman or cynic, this may sound rather simple.
  • To any cynic, your blog is nothing more than simplistic public relations.
  • He is a satirist with a heart, a moralist with a whoopee cushion, a cynic who wants to believe.
British Dictionary definitions for cynic

cynic

/ˈsɪnɪk/
noun
1.
a person who believes the worst about people or the outcome of events
adjective
2.
a less common word for cynical
3.
(astronomy) of or relating to Sirius, the Dog Star
Word Origin
C16: via Latin from Greek Kunikos, from kuōn dog

Cynic

/ˈsɪnɪk/
noun
1.
a member of a sect founded by Antisthenes that scorned worldly things and held that self-control was the key to the only good
Word Origin and History for cynic
n.

mid-16c., in reference to the ancient philosophy, from Greek kynikos "a follower of Antisthenes," literally "dog-like," from kyon (genitive kynos) "dog" (see canine). Supposedly from the sneering sarcasm of the philosophers, but more likely from Kynosarge "Gray Dog," name of the gymnasium outside ancient Athens (for the use of those who were not pure Athenians) where the founder, Antisthenes (a pupil of Socrates), taught. Diogenes was the most famous. Popular association even in ancient times was "dog-like" (Lucian has kyniskos "a little cynic," literally "puppy"). Meaning "sneering sarcastic person" is from 1590s.