Cynic

See also: cynic

English

Etymology

First used in English around 1540–50. From Latin Cynicus (cynic philosopher), from Ancient Greek Κυνικός (Kunikós, literally “doglike, currish”), from κύων (kúōn, “dog”) + -ικός (-ikós); see Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ. The word may have first been applied to Cynics because of the nickname κύων (kúōn, “dog”) given to Diogenes of Sinope, the prototypical Cynic.

Noun

Cynic (plural Cynics)

1. 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.

Translations

member

• Arabic: كَلْبِيّ‎ m (kalbiyy)
• German: Kyniker (de) m, Kynikerin (de) f
• Greek: Κυνικός m (Kynikós)

  Ancient: Κυνικός m (Kunikós)

• Latin: Cynicus m

Adjective

Cynic (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to the Cynics.

Translations

relating to the Cynics

• Arabic: كَلْبِيّ‎ (kalbiyy)
• German: kynisch (de)
• Greek: κυνικός (el) m (kynikós)
• Ido: Ciniko

• Japanese: 犬儒 (kenju)
• Korean: 견유 (ko) (gyeonyu) (犬儒 (ko))
• Latin: Cynicus

References

• “Cynic” in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.

Anagrams

• Cincy