Panglossian

English

WOTD – 3 July 2012

Etymology

From Dr. Pangloss, a character in Voltaire's Candide, +‎ -ian.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /pænˈɡlɑsi.ən/, /pænˈɡlɔsi.ən/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pænˈɡlɒsɪən/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːsiən, -ɒsɪən
• Hyphenation: Pan‧gloss‧i‧an

Adjective

Panglossian (comparative more Panglossian, superlative most Panglossian)

1. (derogatory) Naively or unreasonably optimistic.

   Though he took a Panglossian view of the world in his youth, he became jaded as he grew older.

2. (derogatory) Of or relating to the view that this is the best of all possible worlds.

Synonyms

• Pollyannaish
• See also Thesaurus:naive

Derived terms

• Panglossianism

Translations

naively or unreasonably optimistic

• French: panglossien (fr)
• German: panglossisch
• Portuguese: panglossiano (pt)
• Spanish: panglossiano
• Swedish: panglossiansk (rare)