# pessoptimist

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɛsˈɑptɪmɪst/

## Definitions
1. A person who possesses elements of both pessimism and optimism.

## Etymology
Blend of pessimist + optimist, coined by British translator Trevor LeGassick in his 1985 translation of Emile Habibi's 1974 Arabic-language novel The Secret Life of Saeed: The Pessoptimist.

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