Cynic
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈsɪnɪk/
- Rhymes: -ɪnɪk
- Homophones: Sinic
Alternative forms
- cynick obsolete
Origin
From Middle English cynike, cynicke, from Middle French cinicque, from Latin cynicus, from Ancient Greek κυνικός, originally derived from the portico in Athens called ΚυνόσαÏγες, the earliest home of the Cynic school, later reinterpreted as a derivation of κÏων (kúÅn, "dog"), in a contemptuous allusion to the uncouth and aggressive manners adopted by the members of the school.