Sceptick

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A person who habitually doubts claims or beliefs, especially those presented without sufficient evidence or proof
2. Someone inclined to question, disbelieve, or withhold acceptance of commonly accepted ideas or assertions
3. An individual who approaches statements and doctrines with doubt and demands convincing proof before accepting them

Etymology: "Sceptick" is an obsolete spelling of "sceptic", so its story is really the story of "sceptic" written in an older style. The spelling reflects the word's Greek origin: "skeptikos" meant "thoughtful" or "inquiring," coming from "skeptesthai," "to look carefully" or "to consider." Early English writers often added a "k" or "ck" to Greek-derived words, which is why the older form ends in "-ick" rather than "-ic." The word's sense of doubting or questioning received beliefs came later, as Greek philosophers who examined claims closely gave the term its skeptical tone.

Synonyms: skeptic, doubter

Antonyms: believer