Nihilistic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Defined by the denial of inherent meaning or values within existence, it reflects a philosophy that confronts established morals and beliefs in a skeptical manner
2. Relating to a point of view that perceives life as lacking intrinsic significance, it questions traditional moral principles and societal norms
3. Characterized by a belief that life is devoid of inherent meaning or value, it challenges accepted ethical standards and societal conventions

Etymology: "Nihilistic" is simply "nihilist" with the adjective ending "-ic" attached. The noun it grows from came first. "Nihilist" traces back to Latin "nihil," meaning "nothing," and the suffix that turns a noun into a descriptive adjective, "-ic," reached English through Latin "-icus" and the Old French "-ique" that carried it across the Channel. The surprise lies in how recent the family of words is. The "-ic" suffix itself is ancient, descending from a Proto-Indo-European root, and it has been used in English for centuries. The noun "nihilist," though, belongs to a much later stage of European thought, so "nihilistic" describes a belief system far younger than its own grammatical ending.

Synonyms: cynical, skeptical, pessimistic

Antonyms: optimistic, hopeful