Nearby Words
"Pollyanna" (1960) DVD www.moviesunlimited.com Classic Disney film. Hayley Mills. 1000s of titles not found elsewhere
Dictionary.com Free Toolbar Dictionary.com Define Pollyanna Instantly. Faster Page Loads With Fewer Ads.
Ads
noun
1.
an excessively or blindly optimistic person.
adjective
2.
(often lowercase
) Also, Pol·ly·an·na·ish. unreasonably or illogically optimistic: some pollyanna notions about world peace.
) Also, Pol·ly·an·na·ish. unreasonably or illogically optimistic: some pollyanna notions about world peace. :10
:09
:08
:07
:06
:05
:04
:03
:02
:01
Pollyanna
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Origin:
from the name of the child heroine created by Eleanor Porter (1868–1920), American writer
from the name of the child heroine created by Eleanor Porter (1868–1920), American writer
Related forms
Pol·ly·an·na·ism, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To pollyanna
Example Sentences
- The best teams on the field are usually not pollyanna teams in the clubhouse.
- Pollyanna thinking about technological progress does no good to a villager who does not have even basic access to education.
Collins
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
Pollyanna
"one who finds cause for gladness in the most difficult situations," 1921, in allusion to Pollyanna Whittier, child heroine of U.S. novelist Eleanor Hodgman Porter's "Pollyanna" (1913) and "Pollyanna Grows Up" (1915), noted for keeping her chin up during disasters.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
Pollyanna definition
(1913) A children's book by the American author Eleanor H. Porter. The title character is an orphan girl who, despite the difficulties of her life, is always extremely cheerful.
Note: A “Pollyanna” remains excessively sweet-tempered and optimistic even in adversity.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.