an artificial language invented in 1887 by L. L. Zamenhof (1859–1917), a Polish physician and philologist, and intended for international use. It is based on word roots common to the major European languages.
Origin: 1890–95; orig. pseudonym of inventor; lit., the hoping one. See esperance
1892, from Dr. Esperanto, whose name means in Esperanto, "one who hopes," pen name used on the title page of "Langue internationale," a book about the artificial would-be universal language published 1887 by its inventor, Lazarus Ludwig Zamenhof (1859-1917).
[es-puh-rahn-toh, -ran-] 
pəˈrɑn