English
pessimist
Pessimist comes from French pessimiste, and goes back to Latin malus ‘worst’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmalusas pessimus‘worst’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentpessimiste
- Englishearliest quotation 1940pessimist
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmalusas pessimus‘worst’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentpessimiste
- Englishearliest quotation 1940pessimist
Earliest quotation: 1940, Letters Reveal Ordeals in France: “I will not marry a pessimist, a born loser,…”
Formed from pessimus ‘worst’ + -ist
Linked words
through Latin malus ‘worst’
Today it means
noun Someone who habitually expects the worst outcome; one who looks on the dark side of things.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin malus / pessimist