Pangloss

noun

noun ·2 syllables ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A naively or unreasonably optimistic person.

    "I am as much a Pangloss as ever, only less contemptuous than I used to be, when I argue how unwise it is to feel contempt for anything."

Example

More examples

"I am as much a Pangloss as ever, only less contemptuous than I used to be, when I argue how unwise it is to feel contempt for anything."

Etymology

From Dr. Pangloss, a character in Voltaire's Candide.

More for "pangloss"

SynonymsSentencesPronunciationTranslate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciationBrowse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.