optimist
Meaning: A person who tends to expect favourable outcomes and sees the positive side of events and circumstances.
Optimist is a common everyday word that also carries philosophical weight — Leibniz argued this is 'the best of all possible worlds,' a position Voltaire satirised in Candide. In modern British usage, it often appears with qualifiers: cautious optimist, eternal optimist, incurable optimist. Economists and commentators use it to describe market sentiment and public mood. It pairs naturally with its antonym 'pessimist.'
Examples
- Even the most hardened optimist would struggle to find much cause for cheer in the latest economic data. 即使是最坚定的乐观主义者也很难从最新的经济数据中找到多少令人振奋的理由。Incluso el optimista más empedernido tendría dificultades para encontrar muchos motivos de alegría en los últimos datos económicos.最も筋金入りの楽観主義者でさえ、最新の経済データに多くの希望の種を見出すのは難しいだろう。아무리 타고난 낙관주의자라 해도 최신 경제 지표에서 희망의 근거를 찾기는 어려울 것이다.
- She was a cautious optimist who believed the negotiations could succeed if both sides showed flexibility. 她是一个谨慎的乐观主义者,认为如果双方都表现出灵活性,谈判就能成功。Era una optimista prudente que creía que las negociaciones podían prosperar si ambas partes mostraban flexibilidad.彼女は双方が柔軟性を示せば交渉は成功しうると信じる慎重な楽観主義者であった。그녀는 양측이 유연성을 보인다면 협상이 성공할 수 있다고 믿는 신중한 낙관주의자였다.
- Optimists in the City predicted that share prices would recover before the end of the quarter. 伦敦金融城的乐观主义者预测股价将在本季度末前回升。Los optimistas de la City predijeron que los precios de las acciones se recuperarían antes del final del trimestre.シティの楽観論者たちは株価が四半期末までに回復すると予測した。시티의 낙관론자들은 주가가 분기 말까지 회복할 것이라고 예측했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: general, journalism
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From French optimiste, from Latin optimum (the best), neuter of optimus (best). Coined in the early 18th century in philosophical contexts, it entered general usage by the 19th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
More From This Topic
More from General Advanced
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free