English
Pollyanna creep
Pollyanna creep comes from English Pollyanna ‘one who is persistently cheerful and optimistic’.
- English1500–presentPollyanna‘one who is persistently cheerful and optimistic’
- EnglishtodayPollyanna creep
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- English1500–presentPollyanna‘one who is persistently cheerful and optimistic’
- EnglishtodayPollyanna creep
Made of the words Pollyanna + creep
Proto-Germanic *kreupaną ‘to twist, creep’
Proto-West Germanic *kreupan ‘to creep, crawl’
Old English crēopan ‘to creep, crawl’
Middle English crepen ‘to creep’
English creep
The story
Coined by the economic analyst and statistician John Williams, from Pollyanna (‘one who is persistently cheerful and optimistic’).
Every English word from English Pollyanna
Today it means
noun The practice of a government modifying the way that economic measures are calculated, in order to give a more optimistic impression of economic development.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / English Pollyanna / Pollyanna creep