optimist

1 of 2

noun (1)

op·​ti·​mist ˈäp-tə-mist 

: a person who is inclined to be hopeful and to expect good outcomes : someone who is given to optimism

The optimists have faith that no matter how avaricious the age, literature will endure.

—Michael Norman

Optimist

2 of 2

noun (2)

Op·​ti·​mist ˈäp-tə-mist 

: a member of a major international service club

Examples of optimist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Louis-Dreyfus has always been an indefatigable optimist. —Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2024

Poehler is perhaps best known for her role as eternal optimist Leslie Knope — the Deputy Director of the outdoorsy government department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Ind. — on Parks and Recreation from 2009 to 2015. —Skyler Trepel, Peoplemag, 2 June 2024

On the other side of the spectrum are optimists, like Echo AI, who believe this technology will be empowering. —Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 28 May 2024

Have Americans – long seen as upbeat, can-do optimists – really grown dour about the state of the nation and where it’s headed? —Ari Pinkus, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

optim(ism) + -ist entry 1, probably after French optimiste

Noun (2)

Optimist (Club)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1759, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1911, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

optimist

noun

op·​ti·​mist

ˈäp-tə-məst

: an optimistic person