meliorism

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The view or doctrine that the world can be improved through human effort (often understood as an intermediate outlook between optimism and pessimism).

Pronunciation

/ˈmiːlɪəɹɪz(ə)m/

Word forms

meliorism meliorisms

Etymology

From Latin melior (“better”) + -ism. Reportedly coined by British author George Eliot in her letters, published in 1877.

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