cynicism
/ˈsɪnɪˌsɪzəm/SIH-nih-sih-zuhm
/ˈsɪnɪˌsɪzəm/SIH-nih-sih-zuhm
Meaningthe outlook of a cynic
Common meaning: distrust of people's motives
- cyna dogLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 459 · scan
- icadjective ending: relating to
- ismnoun ending: belief or practice
Journey through time
- Greekκύων, κυνός‘a dog’
- Latincynicus
- Englishcynic‘one who distrusts others' motives’
- Englishformed in English from cyniccynicism‘distrust of people's motives’ · today
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from cynic + -ism.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), CYNIC, p.150 · scan
Roots
- κύων, κυνός Greek “a dog”
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