optimistic

optimism (ˈɒptɪˌmɪzəm)

—n
1.	the tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things
2.	hopefulness; confidence
3.	the doctrine of the ultimate triumph of good over evil
4.	the philosophical doctrine that this is the best of all possible worlds

[C18: from French optimisme, from Latin optimus best, superlative of bonus good]

'optimist

—n

opti'mistic

—*adj*

opti'mistical

—*adj*

opti'mistically

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Word Origin & History

optimistic

1845, from optimism. Related: Optimistically.

Example sentences

It means being openly optimistic and spiritual in times when the cruelest

cynicism is admired.

But even these calculations may prove to be overly optimistic.

They may be cautiously optimistic that some of the decline can be arrested.

Even the leaders of the non-profit community preserved an optimistic

perspective.

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high hopeful lookout optimize Panglossian Pollyanna

Matching Quote

"During the fifties, for example, the American character appeared with some consistency that became a model of manhood adopted by many men: the Fifties male. He got to work early, labored responsibly, supported his wife and children and admired discipline. Reagan is a sort of mummified version of this dogged type. This sort of man didn't see women's souls well, but he appreciated their bodies; and his view of culture and America's part in it was boyish and optimistic. Many of his qualities were strong and positive, but underneath the charm and bluff there was, and there remains, much isolation, deprivation, and passivity. Unless he has an enemy, he isn't sure that he is alive. The Fifties man was supposed to like football, be aggressive, stick up for the United States, never cry, and always provide.... During the sixties, another sort of man appeared. The waste and violence of the Vietnam war made men question whether they knew what an adult male really was. If manhood meant Vietnam, did they want any part of it? Meanwhile, the feminist movement encouraged men to actually look at women, forcing them to become conscious of concerns and sufferings that the Fifties male labored to avoid."

-Robert Bly