# meliorism

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmiːlɪəɹɪz(ə)m/

## Definitions
1. The view or doctrine that the world can be improved through human effort (often understood as an intermediate outlook between optimism and pessimism).

## Etymology
From Latin melior (“better”) + -ism. Reportedly coined by British author George Eliot in her letters, published in 1877.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/meliorism