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meliorism

[ meel-yuh-riz-uhm, mee-lee-uh- ]
/ ˈmil yəˌrɪz əm, ˈmi li ə- /
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noun
the doctrine that the world tends to become better or may be made better by human effort.
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Origin of meliorism

1855–60; <Latin melior better + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM meliorism

mel·io·rist, noun, adjectivemel·io·ris·tic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use meliorism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for meliorism

meliorism
/ (ˈmiːlɪəˌrɪzəm) /

noun
the notion that the world can be improved by human effort

Derived forms of meliorism

meliorist, adjective, nounmelioristic, adjective

Word Origin for meliorism

C19: from Latin melior better
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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