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Webster's New World College Dictionary » optimistic
optimistic
Variant of optimism
optimism
definition
op·ti·mism (äp′tə miz′əm)
noun
- Philos.
- the doctrine held by Leibniz and others that the existing world is the best possible
- the doctrine or belief that good ultimately prevails over evil
- the tendency to take the most hopeful or cheerful view of matters or to expect the best outcome
Etymology: Fr optimisme < L optimus, best: see optimum
Related Forms:
- optimist op′·ti·mist (-mist) noun
- optimistic op′·ti·mis′·tic (-mis′tik) adjective or optimistical op′·ti·mis′·ti·cal
- optimistically op′·ti·mis′·ti·cally adverb
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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