optimism

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: op=ti=mism

CIDE DICTIONARY

optimism, n. [L. optimus the best; akin to optio choice: cf. F. optimisme. See Option.].

•  The opinion or doctrine that everything in nature, being the work of God, is ordered for the best, or that the ordering of things in the universe is such as to produce the highest good.  [1913 Webster]
•  A habitual tendency or a present disposition to take the most hopeful view of future events, and to expect a favorable outcome even when unfavorable outcomes are possible; -- opposed to pessimism.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

optimism, n.
1 an inclination to hopefulness and confidence (opp. PESSIMISM).
2 Philos. a the doctrine, esp. as set forth by Leibniz, that this world is the best of all possible worlds. b the theory that good must ultimately prevail over evil in the universe.

Derivative

optimist n. optimistic adj. optimistically adv.

Etymology

F optimisme f. L OPTIMUM

DEVIL DICTIONARY

optimism

n. The doctrine, or belief, that everything is beautiful, including what is ugly, everything good, especially the bad, and everything right that is wrong. It is held with greatest tenacity by those most accustomed to the mischance of falling into adversity, and is most acceptably expounded with the grin that apes a smile. Being a blind faith, it is inaccessible to the light of disproof -- an intellectual disorder, yielding to no treatment but death. It is hereditary, but fortunately not contagious.

THESAURUS

optimism

Leibnizian optimism, Pollyannaism, blitheness, blithesomeness, bright outlook, bright side, brightness, buoyancy, cheer, cheerful expectation, cheerfulness, cheeriness, cheery vein, eupeptic mien, geniality, gladness, gladsomeness, good cheer, happiness, hope, hopefulness, idealism, millennialism, optimisticalness, perfectibilism, perfectionism, philosophical optimism, pleasantness, positivism, radiance, rosy expectation, rosy outlook, sanguine expectation, sanguine humor, sanguineness, sanguinity, silver lining, sunniness, utopianism, winsomeness

ROGET THESAURUS

optimism

Cheerfulness

N cheerfulness, geniality, gayety, l'allegro, cheer, good humor, spirits, high spirits, animal spirits, flow of spirits, glee, high glee, light heart, sunshine of the mind, sunshine of the breast, gaiete de coeur, bon naturel, liveliness, life, alacrity, vivacity, animation, allegresse, jocundity, joviality, jollity, levity, jocularity, mirth, merriment, hilarity, exhilaration, laughter, merrymaking, heyday, rejoicing, marriage bell, nepenthe, Euphrosyne, sweet forgetfulness, optimism, self complacency, hedonics, hedonism, cheerful, happy, cheery, cheerly, of good cheer, smiling, blithe, in spirits, in good spirits, breezy, bully, chipper, in high spirits, in high feather, happy as the day is long, happy as a king, gay as a lark, allegro, debonair, light, lightsome, light hearted, buoyant, debonnaire, bright, free and easy, airy, janty, jaunty, canty, hedonic, riant, sprightly, sprightful, spry, spirited, spiritful, lively, animated, vivacious, brisk as a bee, sparkling, sportive, full of play, full of spirit, all alive, sunny, palmy, hopeful, merry as a cricket, merry as a grig, merry as a marriage bell, joyful, joyous, jocund, jovial, jolly as a thrush, jolly as a sandboy, blithesome, gleeful, gleesome, hilarious, rattling, winsome, bonny, hearty, buxom, playful, playsome, folatre, playful as a kitten, tricksy, frisky, frolicsome, gamesome, jocose, jocular, waggish, mirth loving, laughter-loving, mirthful, rollicking, elate, elated, exulting, jubilant, flushed, rejoicing, cock-a-hoop, cheering, inspiriting, exhilarating, cardiac, cardiacal, pleasing, palmy, cheerfully, Int, never say die!, come!, cheer up!, hurrah!, hence loathed melancholy!, begone dull care!, away with melancholy!, a merry heart goes all the day, as merry as the day is long, ride si sapis.

Hope

N hope, hopes, desire, fervent hope, sanguine expectation, trust, confidence, reliance, faith, affiance, assurance, secureness, security, reassurance, good omen, good auspices, promise, well grounded hopes, good prospect, bright prospect, clear sky, assumption, presumption, anticipation, hopefulness, buoyancy, optimism, enthusiasm, heart of grace, aspiration, optimist, utopian, utopist, castles in the air, castles in Spain, chateaux en Espagne, le pot aut lait, Utopia, millennium, day dream, golden dream, dream of Alnaschar, airy hopes, fool's paradise, mirage, fond hope, beam of hope, ray of hope, gleam of hope, glimmer of hope, flash of hope, dawn of hope, star of hope, cheer, bit of blue sky, silver lining, silver lining of the cloud, bottom of Pandora's box, balm in Gilead, light at the end of the tunnel, anchor, sheet anchor, mainstay, staff, heaven, hoping, in hopes, hopeful, confident, secure, sanguine, in good heart, buoyed up, buoyant, elated, flushed, exultant, enthusiastic, heartsome, utopian, unsuspecting, unsuspicious, fearless, free from fear, free from suspicion, free from distrust, free from despair, exempt from fear, exempt from suspicion, exempt from distrust, exempt from despair, undespairing, self reliant, probable, on the high road to, within sight of shore, within sight of land, promising, propitious, of promise, full of promise, of good omen, auspicious, de bon augure, reassuring, encouraging, cheering, inspiriting, looking up, bright, roseate, couleur de rose, rose-colored, hopefully, Int, God speed!, nil desperandum, never say die, dum spiro spero, latet scintillula forsan, all is for the best, spero meliora, every cloud has a silver lining, the wish being father to the thought, hope told a flattering tale, rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis, at spes non fracta, ego spem prietio non emo, un Dieu est ma fiance, hope! thou nurse of young desire, in hoc signo spes mea, in hoc signo vinces, la speranza e il pan de miseri, l'esperance est le songe d'un homme eveille, the mighty hopes that make us men, the sickening pang of hope deferred.

Overestimation

N overestimation, exaggeration, vanity, optimism, pessimism, pessimist, much cry and little wool, much ado about nothing, storm in a teacup, tempest in a teacup, fine talking, overestimated, oversensitive, all his geese are swans, parturiunt montes.