pollyanna

plural pollyannas

1. alternativeAlternative form of Pollyanna.

alternative Polly-Anna · alternative Polly Anna

1. A female given name from Hebrew derived from Polly and Anna; rare in the real world.

   Pollyanna Pocket was small, with long floppy ears and a tail that coiled upwards in a little ringlet. She was a bouncy, happy young dog, who frolicked all day

   2014, Dot and the Waves, page 10

plural Pollyannas · alternative pollyanna

1. One who is persistently cheerful and optimistic, even when given cause not to be so.

   You call her an optimist, but I call her an obnoxious Pollyanna.

   2 more examples

   I never wanna hear / From any cheerful Pollyannas / Who tell you Fate supplies a mate / It's all bananas

   1930, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, “But Not for Me”, performed by Ginger Rogers

   ‘Next time we’re going to have fun, OK?’ I wanted this album to go towards the light. You indulge in the grief to a certain point, but then you have to be a little bit Pollyanna.”

   2017 November 12, Miranda Sawyer, “Björk: ‘People miss the jokes. A lot of it is me taking the piss out of myself’”, in The Guardian

plural Pollyannas

1. Mid AtlanticPennsylvaniaSoutheasternUScolloquialA secret Santa gift exchange.