Horatio Alger

American  

adjective

1. of or characteristic of the heroes in the novels of Horatio Alger, who begin life in poverty and achieve success and wealth through honesty, hard work, and virtuous behavior.

   the Horatio Alger story of his rise in the business world.

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Alger, Horatio, Jr. Cultural  

1. A nineteenth-century American author known for his many books in which poor boys become rich through their earnest attitudes and hard work.

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A true story of spectacular worldly success achieved by someone who started near the bottom is often called a “Horatio Alger story.”

Etymology

Origin of Horatio Alger

First recorded in 1920–25