[meel-yuh-riz-uh
m, mee-lee-uh-] 
| the doctrine that the world tends to become better or may be made better by human effort. |
| mel·io·rism (mēl'yə-rĭz'əm, mē'lē-ə-) n. The belief that improvement of society depends on human effort. [Latin melior, better; see mel-2 in Indo-European roots + -ism.] mel'io·rist n., mel'io·ris'tic adj. |