crapehanger

or crepe·hang·er

[ kreyp-hang-er ]

noun

1. a person who sees the gloomy side of things; pessimist.

Word History and Origins

Origin of crapehanger¹

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; crape + hanger

Example Sentences

But amid Coolidge prosperity, Hoover was denounced as "a crapehanger."

From Time Magazine Archive

Rock Hudson is an exurban hypochondriac who persuades himself that the hereafter is at hand, Doris Day is his widow-to-be, and Tony Randall is the sprightly crapehanger next door.

From Time Magazine Archive