Panglossian

English

WOTD – 3 July 2012, 3 July 2013, 3 July 2014, 3 July 2015

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.

   • 2010, Theodore Dalrymple, Our Culture, What’s Left of It:

     Nadelmann assumes that the number of potential addicts wouldn’t soar under considerably more liberal drug laws. I can’t muster such Panglossian optimism.

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)