cynicism
/ˈsɪn.ɪˌsɪzəm/ noun, proper noun
Forms cynicisms
- noun (uncountable) A distrustful attitude.
- noun (uncountable) An emotion of jaded negativity, or a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others, due to belief that people are motivated solely by disguised self-interest.
- noun (countable) A scornfully pessimistic comment or act.
- noun (uncountable, philosophy) A school of thought in the philosophy of Ancient Greece.
- proper noun the philosophy of the Greek Cynics
Etymology
From Cynicism, cynic + -ism; compare cynism.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “cynicism”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details