meliorism

[meel-yuh-riz-uhm, mee-lee-uh-]

mel·io·rism

[meel-yuh-riz-uhm, mee-lee-uh-]
noun
the doctrine that the world tends to become better or may be made better by human effort.

Origin:
1855–60; < Latin melior better + -ism

mel·io·rist, noun, adjective
mel·io·ris·tic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Meliorism is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Collins
World English Dictionary
meliorism (ˈmiːlɪəˌrɪzəm)
 
n
the notion that the world can be improved by human effort
 
[C19: from Latin melior better]
 
'meliorist
 
adj, —n
 
melio'ristic
 
adj

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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