n.
Pronunciation: ' pe-s ə - ˌ mi-z ə m also ' pe-z ə -
Function: noun
Etymology: French pessimisme, from Latin pessimus worst ― more at PEJORATIVE
Date: 1815
1 : an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome
2 a : the doctrine that reality is essentially evil b : the doctrine that evil overbalances happiness in life
– pes · si · mist \ -mist \ noun