cynic

American  

[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.

   Synonyms:

   misanthrope , pessimist , skeptic

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.

   Synonyms:

   misanthrope , pessimist , skeptic

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adjective

1. cynical.

2. (initial capital letter)  Also Cynical. of or relating to the Cynics or their doctrines.

3. Medicine/Medical Now Rare.  resembling the actions of a snarling dog.

cynic ¹ British  

/ ˈsɪnɪk /

noun

1. a person who believes the worst about people or the outcome of events

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adjective

1. a less common word for cynical

2. astronomy of or relating to Sirius, the Dog Star

Cynic ² British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• anticynic noun

Etymology

Origin of cynic

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin Cynicus, from Greek Kynikós “Cynic,” literally, “doglike, currish,” equivalent to kyn-, stem of kýōn “dog” + -ikos -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

But the green cynic changes his tune once he's wowed by some of the low price products on offer.

From BBC

They say it’s better to be lucky than to be smart, and cynics may now wonder which word is a better fit for Bisignano.

From MarketWatch

A cynic convinced of the world’s brokenness, he realizes that revolutions need hope too.

From Los Angeles Times

A cynic might argue that, like pumpkin-flavored treats appearing in stores during the first week of August, these successes are merely the product of early excitement for the Halloween season.

From Salon

You have the rare gift of making financial analysis feel like sitting at a bar with the smartest cynic in the room.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• detractor
• doubter
• pessimist
• skeptic