What does skeptic mean

Question

anonymous · Answer

Skeptic: someone who does not take information at face value; questions or doubts commonly held beliefs without first doing their own research.

anonymous · Answer

a person who habitually doubts the authenticity of accepted beliefs; a person who mistrusts people, ideas, etc., in general.  from the Greek skeptikos meaning one who reflects upon.  skeptic.

anonymous · Answer

disbelieving

anonymous · Answer

In general use, a skeptic is one who questions. It may be questioning everything in general, or an incredulity towards a particular claim or belief; such as questioning the merit of the use of trench warfare in WWI.  Or it may take the form of suspension of belief until reasonable doubt is removed and the claim can be seen as reliable.
Skepticism is used to further scientific understanding to test claims, on an empirical basis, by testing the reliability of the claim by scientific investigation.
It is different from cynicism; which is more of a jaded negative social view, such as distrusting people's motives.