Choose the correct spelling for a word meaning 'someone who doubts everything'.

Correct — C. A person who doubts or questions accepted beliefs is a skeptic, from Greek skeptikos, 'inquiring, reflective'.

The American spelling keeps the Greek k at the start and ends in a plain -ic, as in critic and cynic: s-k-e-p-t-i-c.

The key marks this form → option (c). The British spelling, Sceptic, is also standard; see the dispute note.

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  Skeptick — Skeptick adds a k to the ending. The ending is -ic, as in critic, cynic and logic, in both American and British spelling.
• (b)
  Sceptic — Sceptic is not a misspelling: it is the standard British spelling of the same word. The key marks the American Skeptic, and this card follows the key.
• (d)
  Skeptik — Skeptik turns the final c into k. The ending is -ic in American and British spelling alike, so skeptik is wrong in either.

The item gives a meaning and asks for the spelling, so fix the word first. A skeptic is a person inclined to doubt or question claims, beliefs and received opinion.

The word has two accepted spellings. American English writes skeptic, keeping the k of Greek skeptikos. British English writes sceptic, the c coming through Latin scepticus.

Neither spelling puts a k at the end. The ending is -ic in both.

Key facts

• Skeptic is the American spelling and sceptic the British spelling of the same word.
• The word comes through Latin scepticus from Greek skeptikos, 'inquiring, reflective'.
• The family keeps the same split: skeptical and sceptical, skepticism and scepticism.
• A cynic, unlike a skeptic, doubts people's motives and sincerity.

Common traps

• Treating Sceptic as a misspelling when it is the British form
• Adding a k to the ending, as in skeptick or skeptik, by analogy with the k at the start

No directly related past PYQ was found.