Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Language: French
Origin: optimisme, from Latin optimum; OPTIMUM

optimism

 noun
     
op‧ti‧mis‧m [uncountable]
a tendency to believe that good things will always happen [≠ pessimism]
grounds/cause/reason for optimism
Recent results must give some cause for optimism.
There are grounds for cautious optimism.
mood/sense of optimism
a new sense of optimism in the country
optimism (that)
There was optimism that an agreement could be reached.
optimism about
I don't share his optimism about our chances of success.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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