scepticism

English

Etymology

From Latin *scepticus, only in plural Sceptici (“the sect of Skeptics”), from Ancient Greek σκεπτικός (skeptikós, “thoughtful, inquiring”), from σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “I consider”), compare to σκοπέω (skopéō, “I view, examine”).

Noun

scepticism (countable and uncountable, plural scepticisms)

1. (British) alternative form of skepticism
   • Thomas Carlyle

     When, across the hundredfold poor scepticisms, trivialisms and constitutional cobwebberies of Dryasdust, you catch any glimpse of a William the Conqueror, a Tancred of Hauteville or suchlike, — do you not discern veritably some rude outline of a true God-made King […] ?

Related terms

• sceptic
• sceptical