English Meaning & Definitions
Plural form of cynic: people who believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons; or members of an ancient Greek philosophical school.
- “The political speech was met with widespread skepticism by cynics who doubted any reforms would actually be implemented.”
- “Despite the warnings of the cynics, she pursued her ambitious humanitarian project and succeeded.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “cynics”.
Derived from the ancient Greek philosopher Antisthenes and his followers, who established the Cynic school of philosophy in the 4th century BCE. The Greek word 'kynikos' means 'dog-like' (from 'kyon', dog), originally applied because of their unrefined, dog-like rejection of conventional social norms, wealth, and manners. Over time, the meaning evolved from a philosophical asceticism to a generalized distrust of human sincerity and motives.
Think of a Cynic as a grumpy watchdog ('canine') barking suspiciously at everyone's motives.
Frequently Asked Questions About “cynics”
1. What is the meaning of “cynics” in English?
In English, cynics (noun) is defined as: “Plural form of cynic: people who believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons; or members of an ancient Greek philosophical school.”.
2. How do you use “cynics” in a sentence?
“The political speech was met with widespread skepticism by cynics who doubted any reforms would actually be implemented.”
3. What are English synonyms of “cynics”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “cynics”?
Derived from the ancient Greek philosopher Antisthenes and his followers, who established the Cynic school of philosophy in the 4th century BCE. The Greek word 'kynikos' means 'dog-like' (from 'kyon', dog), originally applied because of their unrefined, dog-like rejection of conventional social norms, wealth, and manners. Over time, the meaning evolved from a philosophical asceticism to a generalized distrust of human sincerity and motives.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.