cynic

cynic · noun, adjective¹

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromκυνικός
2. Latin · derived fromcynicus
3. Middle French · derived fromcynique
4. Middle English · derived fromcynike
5. English todaycynic

From Middle English cynike, cynicke, from Middle French cynique, from Latin cynicus, from Ancient Greek κυνικός (kunikós), originally derived from the portico in Athens called Κυνόσαργες (Kunósarges), the earliest home of the Cynic school, later reinterpreted as being derived from κύων (kúōn, “dog”), in a contemptuous allusion to the uncouth and aggressive manners adopted by the members of the school.

Cynic · noun, adjective²

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromΚυνικός
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱwṓ
3. Latin · borrowed fromCynicus
4. English todayCynic

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

Words from the same roots