/ ˌpɒliˈænə; NAmE ˈpɑːl-/ noun
[ usually sing. ] a person who is always cheerful and expects only good things to happen
ORIGIN: From the name of a character created by the US writer of children's stories, Eleanor Hodgman Porter.
For more information see the Cultural Guide
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WORD ORIGIN
early 20th cent.: the name of the optimistic heroine created by Eleanor Hodgman Porter (1868–1920), American author of children's stories.