Horatio Alger

adjective

1. of or characteristic of the heroes in the novels of Horatio Alger, who begin life in poverty and achieve success and wealth through honesty, hard work, and virtuous behavior:

   the Horatio Alger story of his rise in the business world.

Alger, Horatio, Jr.

1. A nineteenth-century American author known for his many books in which poor boys become rich through their earnest attitudes and hard work.

Notes

A true story of spectacular worldly success achieved by someone who started near the bottom is often called a “Horatio Alger story.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Horatio Alger¹

First recorded in 1920–25