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Pangloss

British

/ ˈpænɡlɒs /

noun

a person who views a situation with unwarranted optimism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Panglossian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Pangloss

C19: after Dr Pangloss , a character in Voltaire's Candide (1759)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I don’t want to sound like the perpetually optimistic Dr. Pangloss.

From Washington Post • Apr. 6, 2023

Both of you should have the good humor and acceptance to acknowledge you are never going to turn into Dr. Pangloss, nor would you want to.

From Slate • Jan. 24, 2021

Candide's philosopher companion Pangloss offers an analysis of their odyssey, and Candide responds, "All that is very well, but we must cultivate our gardens."

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2020

Named after Dr. Pangloss, the eternal optimist in Voltaire’s “Candide,” the tasting room’s knowledgeable servers tailor wine selections to patrons’ preferences.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 29, 2019

So Mr. Justice Pangloss went on: “There are, as Gale says, ‘two classes of easements distinctly recognised by the Civil Law—’” “Hem!” said Ricochet.

From The Humourous Story of Farmer Bumpkin's Lawsuit by Harris, Richard

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023