Pollyanna
an excessively or blindly optimistic person.
(often lowercase)Also Pol·ly·an·na·ish. unreasonably or illogically optimistic: some pollyanna notions about world peace.
Origin of Pollyanna
1Other words from Pollyanna
- Pol·ly·an·na·ism, noun
Words Nearby Pollyanna
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use Pollyanna in a sentence
A couple of years at the White House would turn Pollyanna into Machiavelli.
And she turned away—Miss Polly's arrangements for the comfort of her niece, Pollyanna, were complete.
Pollyanna | Eleanor H. PorterPollyanna, standing at the bureau, gazed a little wistfully at the bare wall above.
Pollyanna | Eleanor H. PorterAt one of the windows, a few minutes later, Pollyanna gave a glad cry and clapped her hands joyously.
Pollyanna | Eleanor H. PorterThe next moment the window was wide open, and Pollyanna was leaning far out, drinking in the fresh, sweet air.
Pollyanna | Eleanor H. Porter
Pollyanna had made a wonderful discovery—against this window a huge tree flung great branches.
Pollyanna | Eleanor H. Porter
British Dictionary definitions for Pollyanna
/ (ˌpɒlɪˈænə) /
a person who is constantly or excessively optimistic
Origin of Pollyanna
1Derived forms of Pollyanna
- Pollyannaish, adjective
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
(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
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.
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