Cynic (band)
WordNet
noun
(1) Someone who is critical of the motives of others
(2) A member of a group of ancient Greek philosophers who advocated the doctrine that virtue is the only good and that the essence of virtue is self-control
WiktionaryText
Etymology
Originated 1540–50 from Latin Cynicus (cynic philosopher) < Κυνικός (Kynikós) (literally doglike, currish) < κύων (dog) + -ικός; see .
The word may have first been applied to Cynics because of the nickname κύων kuōn (dog) given to the Diogenes of Sinope, the prototypical Cynic.
Proper noun
- A member of a sect of ancient Greek philosophers who believed virtue to be the only good and self-control to be the only means of achieving virtue.