pessimism C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas US /ˈpɛsɪmɪzəm/ UK /ˈpesɪmɪzəm/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun a tendency to expect the worst outcome His habitual pessimism made every plan sound doomed. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a tendency to expect the... cynicismnegativitygloomdefeatismfatalismdespondency ↔ Opposites optimismhopefulnesspositivity Word family Derived forms pessimistpessimistic Related forms pessimalpessimum Etymology AI details From French pessimisme, formed from Latin pessimus ('worst', superlative of malus 'bad') on the model of optimisme; coined in the late 18th century. pessimus Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # pessimism **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈpɛsɪmɪzəm/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈpesɪmɪzəm/ ## Meanings 1. a tendency to expect the worst outcome ## Examples - His habitual pessimism made every plan sound doomed. ## Synonyms - cynicism - negativity - gloom - defeatism - fatalism - despondency ## Antonyms - optimism - hopefulness - positivity ## Derived Forms - pessimist - pessimistic ## Related Forms - pessimal - pessimum ## Roots and Affixes - Root: pessimus ## Etymology From French pessimisme, formed from Latin pessimus ('worst', superlative of malus 'bad') on the model of optimisme; coined in the late 18th century. ## AI Etymology Pessimism is from French pessimisme, formed from Latin pessimus ('worst', superlative of malus 'bad') on the model of optimisme; coined in the late 18th century. Important recorded forms include pessimus (Latin). The modern sense follows that older lexical line closely. In current use it covers a tendency to expect the worst outcome. The wider family includes derived forms such as pessimist and pessimistic and related words such as pessimal and pessimum. ## Topics - Abstract Ideas - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown