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skepticism

 [skep-tuh-siz-uhm]  

skep·ti·cism

   [skep-tuh-siz-uhm]
noun
1.
skeptical attitude or temper; doubt.
2.
doubt or unbelief with regard to a religion, especially Christianity.
3.
(initial capital letter) the doctrines or opinions of philosophical Skeptics; universal doubt.
Also, scepticism.

Origin:
1640–50; < Neo-Latin scepticismus, equivalent to Latin sceptic(us) skeptic + -ismus -ism

Related forms
an·ti·skep·ti·cism, noun

Synonyms
1. questioning, probing, testing. 2. disbelief, atheism, agnosticism.

Antonyms
2. faith.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Skepticism is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
sceptic or skeptic (ˈskɛptɪk)
 
—n
1.  a person who habitually doubts the authenticity of accepted beliefs
2.  a person who mistrusts people, ideas, etc, in general
3.  a person who doubts the truth of religion, esp Christianity
 
—adj
4.  of or relating to sceptics; sceptical
 
[C16: from Latin scepticus, from Greek skeptikos one who reflects upon, from skeptesthai to consider]
 
skeptic or skeptic
 
—n
 
—adj
 
[C16: from Latin scepticus, from Greek skeptikos one who reflects upon, from skeptesthai to consider]
 
'scepticism or skeptic
 
—n
 
'skepticism or skeptic
 
—n

Sceptic or Skeptic (ˈskɛptɪk)
 
—n
1.  a member of one of the ancient Greek schools of philosophy, esp that of Pyrrho, who believed that real knowledge of things is impossible
 
—adj
2.  of or relating to the Sceptics
 
Skeptic or Skeptic
 
—n
 
—adj
 
'Scepticism or Skeptic
 
—n
 
'Skepticism or Skeptic
 
—n

skeptic (ˈskɛptɪk)
 
—n, —adj
an archaic, and the usual US, spelling of sceptic
 
'skeptical
 
—adj
 
'skeptically
 
—adv
 
'skepticalness
 
—n
 
'skepticism
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

skepticism definition


In philosophy, the position that what cannot be proved by reason should not be believed. One of the main tasks of epistemology is to find an answer to the charge of some extreme skeptics that no knowledge is possible.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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