English Explanatory Dictionary

Micawberly

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adv
  1. in an upbeat and optimistic way, in the face of seemingly hopeless circumstances

Pronunciation

/mɪˈkɔːbəli/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Micawberly.wav /mɪˈkɔbɚli/ /məˈkɑ-/

Word forms

Micawberly more Micawberly most Micawberly

Etymology

From Micawber + -ly (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, having the sense of ‘behaving like, or having a nature typical of [what is denoted by the noun]’) (see origin of name there), from the character Wilkins Micawber – noted for his naive optimism, always confident that “something will turn up” – in David Copperfield (1849–1850) by the English author Charles Dickens (1812–1870).

Related words

Micawber Micawber effect Micawberesque Micawber frontier Micawberian Micawberish Micawberism Micawber-like Micawber principle Micawber threshold
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