meliorism

English

Etymology

From Latin melior (“better”) +‎ -ism. Reportedly coined by British author George Eliot in her letters, published in 1877.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmiːlɪəɹɪz(ə)m/

Noun

meliorism (countable and uncountable, plural meliorisms)

1. The view or doctrine that the world can be improved through human effort (often understood as an intermediate outlook between optimism and pessimism). [from 19th c.]
   • 1966 May 6, “Forever Beginning”, in Time:

     At the convention, the official mood was traditional Methodist meliorism.

   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 371:

     Enclaves of meritocratic and virtuous sociability, the lodges exuded […] a thoroughgoing meliorism.

Derived terms

• meliorist
• melioristic
• melioristically

Translations

the view that the world can be improved through human effort

• Russian: мелиори́зм m (meliorízm)

References

• “meliorism”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• "meliorism" at Rhymezone (Datamuse, 2006)
• Oxford English Dictionary, second edition (1989)
• Dictionary of Philosophy, Dagobert D. Runes (editor), Philosophical Library, 1962; see: "Meliorism" by Archie J. Bahm, page 195

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French méliorisme.

Noun

meliorism n (uncountable)

1. meliorism

Declension

singular only	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	meliorism	meliorismul
genitive-dative	meliorism	meliorismului
vocative	meliorismule