- panglossian
- Ludicrously optimistic. Dr Pangloss is the character in Voltaire's satire Candide who embodies Leibniz's view that this is the best of all possible worlds.
Philosophy dictionary. Academic. 2011.
panglossian
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Panglossian — (adj.) optimistic (usually ironic or disparaging), 1831, from Fr. Panglosse, name of the philosopher and tutor in Voltaire s Candide (1758), from PAN (Cf. pan ) (see PAN (Cf. pan )) + Gk. glossa, lit. tongue (see GLOSS (Cf. gloss) (n.2 … Etymology dictionary
Panglossian — [pan glôs′ē ən] adj. [after Dr. Pangloss in Voltaire s Candide] foolishly optimistic … English World dictionary
Panglossian — adjective a) Naively or unreasonably optimistic. Though he took a Panglossian view of the world in his youth, he became jaded as he grew older. b) Of or relating to the view that this is the best of all possible worlds … Wiktionary
panglossian — (ˈ)pan|gläsēən adjective Usage: usually capitalized Etymology: Pangloss, optimistic tutor of Candide in the satire Candide (1759) by Voltaire died 1778 French writer (from French, from pan + Greek glōssa tongue) + English an + more at gloss … Useful english dictionary
Panglossian — adjective Etymology: Pangloss, optimistic tutor in Voltaire s Candide (1759) Date: 1831 marked by the view that all is for the best in this best of possible worlds ; excessively optimistic … New Collegiate Dictionary
Panglossian — /pan glos ee euhn, glaw see , pang /, adj. characterized by or given to extreme optimism, esp. in the face of unrelieved hardship or adversity. [1825 35; after Pangloss, an optimistic character in Voltaire s Candide; cf. Gk panglossía… … Universalium
Panglossian — (Roget s Thesaurus II) adjective Expecting a favorable outcome or dwelling on hopeful aspects: optimistic, roseate, rose colored, rosy, sanguine. Informal: upbeat. Idioms: looking on the bright side, looking through rose colored glasses. See HOPE … English dictionary for students
panglossian — pan·gloss·ian … English syllables
Panglossian — Pan•gloss•i•an [[t]pænˈglɒs i ən, ˈglɔ si , pæŋ [/t]] adj. inappropriately optimistic • Etymology: 1825–35; after Pangloss, an optimistic character in Voltaire s Candide; cf. Gk panglossía garrulousness, wordiness … From formal English to slang
Panglossian — /pænˈglɒsiən/ (say pan gloseeuhn) adjective unshakably optimistic. {from Pangloss, a character in Voltaire s novel Candide (1759) who maintains that the world we live in is the best of all possible worlds + ian} …
