skeptic

skeptic
/skep"tik/, n.
1. a person who questions the validity or authenticity of something purporting to be factual.
2. a person who maintains a doubting attitude, as toward values, plans, statements, or the character of others.
3. a person who doubts the truth of a religion, esp. Christianity, or of important elements of it.
4. (cap.) Philos.
a. a member of a philosophical school of ancient Greece, the earliest group of which consisted of Pyrrho and his followers, who maintained that real knowledge of things is impossible.
b. any later thinker who doubts or questions the possibility of real knowledge of any kind.
adj.
5. pertaining to skeptics or skepticism; skeptical.
6. (cap.) pertaining to the Skeptics.
Also, sceptic.
[1565-75; < LL scepticus thoughtful, inquiring (in pl. Sceptici the Skeptics) < Gk skeptikós, equiv. to sképt(esthai) to consider, examine (akin to skopeîn to look; see -SCOPE) + -ikos -IC]
Syn. 3. doubter. See atheist.
Ant. 3. believer.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Skeptic — Skep tic, n. [Gr. skeptiko s thoughtful, reflective, fr. ske ptesqai to look carefully or about, to view, consider: cf. L. scepticus, F. sceptique. See {Scope}.] [Written also {sceptic}.] 1. One who is yet undecided as to what is true; one who is …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • skeptic — also sceptic, 1580s, member of an ancient Greek school that doubted the possibility of real knowledge, from Fr. sceptique, from L. scepticus, from Gk. skeptikos (pl. Skeptikoi the Skeptics ), lit. inquiring, reflective, the name taken by the… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Skeptic — Skep tic, Skeptical Skep tic*al, a. [Written also sceptic, sceptical.] 1. Of or pertaining to a sceptic or skepticism; characterized by skepticism; hesitating to admit the certainly of doctrines or principles; doubting of everything. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • skeptic — index heretic Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • skeptic — skeptic, skeptical see sceptic, sceptical …   Modern English usage

  • skeptic — [n] person who is leery, unbelieving agnostic, apostate, atheist, cynic, disbeliever, dissenter, doubter, doubting Thomas*, freethinker, heathen, heretic, infidel, materialist, misanthrope, misbeliever, nihilist, pagan, pessimist, profaner,… …   New thesaurus

  • skeptic — (Brit. sceptic) ► NOUN 1) a person inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions. 2) a person who doubts the truth of Christianity and other religions; an atheist. DERIVATIVES skepticism noun. ORIGIN Greek skeptikos, from skepsis inquiry, doubt …   English terms dictionary

  • skeptic — [skep′tik] adj. [L scepticus < Gr skeptikos, thoughtful, inquiring < skeptesthai, to consider: altered by metathesis < IE base * spek̑ , to peer > SPY] var. of SKEPTICAL: used esp. in philosophy n. 1. [S ] a member of any of the… …   English World dictionary

  • Skeptic — El texto que sigue es una traducción defectuosa o incompleta. Si quieres colaborar con Wikipedia, busca el artículo original y mejora o finaliza esta traducción. Puedes dar aviso al autor principal del artículo pegando el siguiente código en su… …   Wikipedia Español

  • skeptic — US var. of SCEPTIC. * * * skeptic, skeptical etc.: see sceptic, etc …   Useful english dictionary

  • Skeptic (magazine) — *Skeptic (U.S. magazine) The magazine of The Skeptics Society, edited by Michael Shermer * Skeptic A University of London literary magazine in the late 1950s under the editorship of Wen Su Tung. * The Skeptic Published by the Australian Skeptics… …   Wikipedia

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