pessimism

From French pessimisme, from Latin pessimus (“worst”), superlative of malus (“bad”). As a doctrine, from German Pessimismus as used by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer in 1819.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛsɪmɪzəm/

• Audio (Southern England)

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pessimism (usually uncountable, plural pessimisms)

1. A general belief that bad things will happen.
2. The doctrine that this world is the worst of all possible worlds.
3. (computing) The condition of being pessimal.

• optimism

• Afro-pessimism
• cultural pessimism
• ecopessimism

• pessimist
• pessimistic

• “pessimism”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “pessimism”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “pessimism”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

pessimism c

1. pessimism; a general belief that bad things will happen

   Antonym: optimism

• pessimist
• pessimistisk

• pessimism in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• pessimism in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• pessimism in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)