Cynic Noun - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation And Usage Notes

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Definition of cynic noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

cynic noun  /ˈsɪnɪk/  /ˈsɪnɪk/ jump to other results

1. a person who believes that people only do things to help themselves, rather than for good or sincere reasons
   • Don’t be such a cynic!

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2. a person who does not believe that something good will happen or that something is important
   • Cynics will say that there is not the slightest chance of success.
Word Originmid 16th cent. originally relating to a member of a school of ancient Greek philosophers founded by Antisthenes: from Latin cynicus, from Greek kunikos; probably originally from Kunosarges, the name of a school where Antisthenes taught, but popularly taken to mean ‘doglike, churlish’, kuōn, kun-, ‘dog’ becoming a nickname for a Cynic.

See cynic in the Oxford Advanced American DictionaryCheck pronunciation: cynic

Nearby words

• Cymbeline
• Cymru noun
• cynic noun
• cynical adjective
• cynically adverb

bias noun From the Word list OPAL written words Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day