Pollyanna
[ pol-ee-an-uh ]
/ ˌpɒl iˈæn ə /
noun
an excessively or blindly optimistic person.
adjective
(often lowercase)Also Pol·ly·an·na·ish. unreasonably or illogically optimistic: some pollyanna notions about world peace.
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Origin of Pollyanna
First recorded in 1910–15; from the name of the child heroine in the novel Pollyanna (1913), written by Eleanor Hodgman Porter (1868–1920), American writer
OTHER WORDS FROM Pollyanna
Pol·ly·an·na·ism, nounWords nearby Pollyanna
polluted, pollution, Pollux, poll watcher, polly, Pollyanna, pollyfish, polo, polo coat, Polokwane, Polo, Marco
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for Pollyanna
British Dictionary definitions for Pollyanna
Pollyanna
/ (ˌpɒlɪˈænə) /
noun
a person who is constantly or excessively optimistic
Derived forms of Pollyanna
Pollyannaish, adjectiveWord Origin for Pollyanna
C20: after the chief character in Pollyanna (1913), a novel by Eleanor Porter (1868–1920), US writer
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
Cultural definitions for Pollyanna
Pollyanna
(1913) A children's book by the American author Eleanor H. Porter. The title character is an orphan girl who, despite the difficulties of her life, is always extremely cheerful.
notes for Pollyanna
A “Pollyanna” remains excessively sweet-tempered and optimistic even in adversity.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.