meliorism

The story

1. Latin · derived frommelior“better”
2. English todaymeliorism

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

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. The view or doctrine that the world can be improved through human effort (often understood as an intermediate outlook between optimism and pessimism).