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

Example Sentences

In all, Vance’s story of the Horatio Alger myth made real in Appalachia is actually one where he received much help and assistance along the way.

From Salon

Last October, in New Orleans, Sokol made a direct reference to a pending Supreme Court case while addressing a group of former Horatio Alger scholarship recipients.

From Salon

When he was about 12, he started helping his father, Ralph Mozilo, in his butcher shop, cleaning floors and cutting up chickens, according to his member profile in the Horatio Alger Association.

From New York Times

As the credits roll, a list of its funders appears: among them Mr. Crow and friends from Horatio Alger, including Mr. Sokol and Mr. Washington.

From New York Times

It also comes from the writer Horatio Alger, who wrote novels that endorsed the view of people achieving success on their own.

From Salon