Where does “cynicism” come from?
Cynicism comes from English cynic, derived from Ancient Greek κυνικός, literally meaning doglike, from κύων meaning dog, with the -ῐκός suffix denoting a quality or characteristic.
cynicism (English): A distrustful attitude; An emotion of jaded...
Definitions
- A distrustful attitude; An emotion of jaded...
Ancestry of “cynicism”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cynic | cynical; Relating to the Dog Star; A person who... |
| 2 | Middle English | cynicke | — |
| 3 | Middle French | cinicque | — |
| 4 | Latin | cynicus | Cynic |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κυνικός | doglike |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Κυνόσαργες | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | κύων | a dog; a bitch; an offensive person |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | μῦς | mouse; A type of mussel; A type of whale |
| 9 | Proto-Hellenic | *mū́s | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | múHs | mouse |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | múh₂s | mouse |