English
cynic
Cynic comes from Latin cynicus, from Ancient Greek κυνικός ‘doglike’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ ‘dog’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱwṓ‘dog’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκῠ́ων‘dog’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκυνικόςkunikós‘doglike’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcynicus
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600cynique
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cynike
- Englishearliest quotation 2000cynic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱwṓ‘dog’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκῠ́ων‘dog’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκυνικόςkunikós‘doglike’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcynicus
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600cynique
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cynike
- Englishearliest quotation 2000cynic
Earliest quotation: 2000, Darren Tackle: “Well, that's one in the eye for the nay-sayers,…”
The story
From Middle English cynike, cynicke, from Middle French cynique, from Latin cynicus, from Ancient Greek κυνικός (kunikós), originally derived from the portico in Athens called Κυνόσαργες (Kunósarges), the earliest home of the Cynic school, later reinterpreted as being derived from κύων (kúōn, “dog”), in a contemptuous allusion to the uncouth and aggressive manners adopted by the members of the school.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- ‘livestock’
fight, fellow, peculiar, fax, feudal, fawn, fain, 26 more
through Proto-Indo-European *péḱu ‘livestock’
fee, feud, feu, pec, pecuniary, 14 more
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ ‘dog’
Today it means
noun A person whose outlook is scornfully negative.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ / cynic