meliorism

[ meel-yuh-riz-uhm, mee-lee-uh- ]

noun

1. the doctrine that the world tends to become better or may be made better by human effort.

meliorism

/ ˈmiːlɪəˌrɪzəm /

noun

1. the notion that the world can be improved by human effort

Derived Forms

• ˌmelioˈristic, adjective
• ˈmeliorist, adjectivenoun

Other Words From

• melio·rist noun adjective
• melio·ristic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of meliorism¹

1855–60; < Latin melior better + -ism

Word History and Origins

Origin of meliorism¹

C19: from Latin melior better

Example Sentences

He explained, “In the spirit of American meliorism, the criticism is to make things better, not necessarily because I didn’t like it.”

From New York Times

What if the real way forward weren’t a great leap but grinding, tedious, unglamorously incremental change—what George Eliot called “meliorism”?

From The New Yorker

For some realists, “global meliorism” — the belief that U.S. foreign policy can and should try to make a better world — is a dirty word.

From Washington Post

The world-view of Judaism, which regards the entire economy of life as the realization of the all-encompassing plan of an all-wise Creator, is accordingly an energizing optimism, or, more precisely, meliorism.

From Project Gutenberg

In the midst of a futile meliorism which deceives the more, the more it soothes, he stands out like some sinister skeleton at the feast, regarding the festivities with a flickering and impenetrable grin.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• advance
• advancement
• change
• development
• enhancement
• gain
• growth
• increase
• progress
• recovery
• renovation
• revision
• rise
• upgrade