Where does “pessimist” come from?
Pessimist comes from French pessimiste, derived from Latin pessimus meaning "worst," which traces to Latin malus meaning "bad," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mel- and mey-.
pessimist (English): Someone who habitually expects the worst outcome;...
Definitions
- Someone who habitually expects the worst outcome;...
Ancestry of “pessimist”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | pessimiste | pessimist; pessimistic |
| 2 | Latin | pessimus | worst |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | pessemos | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ped-tm̥mó-s | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ped- | to walk, to step; to stumble, to fall |