sceptic
/sˈkeptɪk/SKEP-tik
/sˈkɛptɪk/SKEP-tik
Meaninginquiring
Common meaning: person inclined to question accepted claims
- scepticinquiringSkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 530 · scan
Journey through time
- Greekskeptikos‘inquiring’source
- Latinmeaning shiftsinquiring → questioning philosopherscepticus‘questioning philosopher’source
- Frenchsceptique‘sceptic’source
- Englishmeaning shiftsquestioning philosopher → person inclined to question accepted claimssceptic‘person inclined to question accepted claims’ · today
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Greek skeptikos ‘inquiring’.
Roots
- skeptikos Greek “inquiring”
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