Sceptic

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sceptic \Scep"tic\, Sceptical \Scep"tic*al\, Scepticism
  \Scep"ti*cism\, etc.
     See {Skeptic}, {Skeptical}, {Skepticism}, etc.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:



  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
        looking or inquiring for what is true; an inquirer after
        facts or reasons.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Metaph.) A doubter as to whether any fact or truth can be
        certainly known; a universal doubter; a Pyrrhonist; hence,
        in modern usage, occasionally, a person who questions
        whether any truth or fact can be established on
        philosophical grounds; sometimes, a critical inquirer, in
        opposition to a dogmatist.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              All this criticism [of Hume] proceeds upon the
              erroneous hypothesis that he was a dogmatist. He was
              a skeptic; that is, he accepted the principles
              asserted by the prevailing dogmatism: and only
              showed that such and such conclusions were, on these
              principles, inevitable.               --Sir W.
                                                    Hamilton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Theol.) A person who doubts the existence and perfections
        of God, or the truth of revelation; one who disbelieves
        the divine origin of the Christian religion.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Suffer not your faith to be shaken by the
              sophistries of skeptics.              --S. Clarke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: This word and its derivatives are often written with c
           instead of k in the first syllable, -- sceptic,
           sceptical, scepticism, etc. Dr. Johnson, struck with
           the extraordinary irregularity of giving c its hard
           sound before e, altered the spelling, and his example
           has been followed by most of the lexicographers who
           have succeeded him; yet the prevalent practice among
           English writers and printers is in favor of the other
           mode. In the United States this practice is reversed, a
           large and increasing majority of educated persons
           preferring the orthography which is most in accordance
           with etymology and analogy.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: Infidel; unbeliever; doubter. -- See {Infidel}.
          [1913 Webster] Skeptic

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sceptic
       n : someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs [syn: {skeptic},
            {doubter}]