# pessimist

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɛsɪmɪst/ · frequency rank #43,309

## Definitions
1. Someone who habitually expects the worst outcome; one who looks on the dark side of things.

## Etymology
From French pessimiste, from Latin pessimus (“worst”) + -ist.

## Easily confused with
- **pessimistic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pessimist-vs-pessimistic)
- **pessimism** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pessimism-vs-pessimist)

## Common misspellings (12)
`epssimist`, `pesimist`, `pesismist`, `pessiimst`, `pessimisst`, `pessimistt`, `pessimits`, `pessimmist`, `pessimsit`, `pessmiist`, `ppessimist`, `psesimist`

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