Cynics

/ˈsɪnɪks/ noun

Definition

People who believe that others are motivated purely by self-interest and lack sincere motives, or members of the ancient Greek Cynic philosophical school.

Etymology

From Greek 'kynikos' (dog-like, from 'kyon' meaning dog), named after their founder Diogenes who lived like a dog to demonstrate self-sufficiency. The school got its name because members rejected social conventions.

Kelly Says

It's wild that 'cynic' comes from 'dog'—the Cynic philosophers literally chose to live like dogs, sleeping in barrels and owning nothing, to prove humans don't need society's comforts to be happy.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.