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Balance in life is the key, as Aristotle taught us. Nobody likes a naive Pollyanna, but neither do we like to be around people who are constantly complaining and finding fault.
Mark Skousen

Meaning of "Pollyanna" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD POLLYANNA

After the chief character in Pollyanna (1913), a novel by Eleanor Porter (1868–1920), US writer.
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Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF POLLYANNA

Pollyanna  [ˌpɒlɪˈænə] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF POLLYANNA

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Pollyanna is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES POLLYANNA MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Pollyanna

Pollyanna

Pollyanna is a best-selling 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter that is now considered a classic of children's literature, with the title character's name becoming a popular term for someone with the same optimistic outlook. The book was such a success that Porter soon produced a sequel, Pollyanna Grows Up. Eleven more Pollyanna sequels, known as "Glad Books", were later published, most of them written by Elizabeth Borton or Harriet Lummis Smith. Further sequels followed, including Pollyanna Plays the Game by Colleen L. Reece, published in 1997. Pollyanna has been adapted for film several times. Some of the best-known are Disney's 1960 version starring child actress Hayley Mills, who won a special Oscar for the role, and the 1920 version starring Mary Pickford.

Definition of Pollyanna in the English dictionary

The definition of Pollyanna in the dictionary is a person who is constantly or excessively optimistic.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH POLLYANNA


anna
ˈænə
banner
ˈbænə
Diana
daɪˈænə
goanna
ɡəʊˈænə
Guiana
ɡaɪˈænə
Guyana
ɡaɪˈænə
Hanna
ˈhænə
Hannah
ˈhænə
Indiana
ˌɪndɪˈænə
ipecacuanha
ˌɪpɪˌkækjʊˈænə
joanna
dʒəʊˈænə
Louisiana
luːˌiːzɪˈænə
manner
ˈmænə
manor
ˈmænə
Montana
mɒnˈtænə
planner
ˈplænə
Santayana
ˌsæntɪˈænə
Savannah
səˈvænə
scanner
ˈskænə
tanner
ˈtænə

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE POLLYANNA

Pollock
polls
pollster
pollucite
pollusion
pollutant
pollute
polluted
pollutedly
pollutedness
polluter
pollution
pollutive
Pollux

WORDS THAT END LIKE POLLYANNA

Alkanna
bandanna
canna
caranna
Fianna
hosanna
manna
nanna
park savanna
platanna
rabanna
savanna
Susanna
Susquehanna
tanna
wanna

Synonyms and antonyms of Pollyanna in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «Pollyanna» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF POLLYANNA

Find out the translation of Pollyanna to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of Pollyanna from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «Pollyanna» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

盲目乐观
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

Pollyanna
570 millions of speakers

English

Pollyanna
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

Pollyanna
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

بوليانا
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

Поллианна
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

Pollyanna
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

Pollyanna
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

béat
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Pollyanna
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

Pollyanna
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

極端な楽観主義者
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

낙천적
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Pollyanna
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

Pollyanna
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

Pollyanna
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

Pollyanna
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

iyimser
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

Pollyanna
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

Pollyanna
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

Полліанна
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

Pollyanna
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

Pollyanna
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

Pollyanna
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

Polyanna
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

Pollyanna
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of Pollyanna

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «POLLYANNA»

The term «Pollyanna» is regularly used and occupies the 67.317 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Regularly used
69
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «Pollyanna» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of Pollyanna
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «Pollyanna».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «POLLYANNA» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «Pollyanna» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «Pollyanna» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about Pollyanna

EXAMPLES

7 QUOTES WITH «POLLYANNA»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word Pollyanna.
1
Bill Ayers
I suffer from a genetic flaw, which is that my mother was a hopeless Pollyanna.
2
Harlan Coben
I don't find any real rivalries with crime and thriller writers anyway. That might sound a little Pollyanna, but for the most part the writers I compete with, if you want to use that word, it's a pretty friendly rivalry. I think we all realise that the boat rises and sinks together.
3
Jonathan Frakes
If the prime directives were followed a little more accurately here on earth, I mean it sounds somewhat Pollyanna, but I think people would certainly get along better.
4
Laura Lang
I'm not a Pollyanna; I'm a pragmatist.
5
Tracy Pollan
My family absolutely comes first, and I don't mean that in a Pollyanna way. It's the focus of my life because it's what makes me happy.
6
Eleanor Porter
My relationship with 'Pollyanna' is a very personal one, because Pollyanna got me through my childhood.
7
Mark Skousen
Balance in life is the key, as Aristotle taught us. Nobody likes a naive Pollyanna, but neither do we like to be around people who are constantly complaining and finding fault.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «POLLYANNA»

Discover the use of Pollyanna in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to Pollyanna and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Pollyanna
Please visit www.ArcManor.com for other great books
Eleanor H. Porter, 2008
2
Pollyanna
Klaw & Erlanger and George C. Tyler present "Pollyana," the glad play, a comedy in four acts by Catherine Chisholm Cushing, based on the like-named novel by Eleanor H. Porter (by arrangement with the Page Company).
Eleanor Hodgman Porter, 1913
3
Pollyanna
When a twelve-year-old orphan comes to live with her austere and wealthy Aunt Polly, her philosophy of gladness brings happiness to the aunt and unloved members of the community.
Eleanor H. Porter, 1996
4
Pollyanna
For use in schools and libraries only. An Aladdin Classics edition.
Marc D. Falkoff, Eleanor H. Porter, 1999
5
The Pollyanna principles: reinventing "nonprofit ...
Discusses the principles of how to create the future for your organization and your community and make a difference.
Hildy Gottlieb, 2009
6
Pollyanna Grows Up (EasyRead Super Large 18pt Edition)
On the way home Pollyanna made joyous plans. To-morrow, in some way or other, Mrs. Carew must be persuaded to go with her for a walk in the Public Garden. Just how this was to be brought about Pollyanna did not know; but brought about ...
Eleanor H. Porter, 2008
7
Pollyanna Grows Up
“Oh, Ruth, aku ingin memberimu satu dosis Pollyanna!” “Aku tidak menginginkannya, Della, aku bukan pasienmu yang perlu diberi obat….” “Pollyanna bukan obat, Sayangku, meskipun beberapa orang bilang dia sejenis penambah tenaga.
Elleanor. H. Porter, 2010
8
Pollyanna
When orphaned, eleven-year-old Pollyanna comes to live with austere and wealthy Aunt Polly, her philosophy of gladness brings happiness to her aunt and other unhappy members of the community.
Susan Pargman, 2001
9
Rediscovering Colors: A Study in Pollyanna Realism
What is novel about the work is that Watkins, unlike other Mooreans, takes seriously the metaphysics of colors.
M. Watkins, 2002
10
Pollyanna
An abridged version of the tale of orphaned, eleven-year-old Pollyanna, who comes to live with austere and wealthy Aunt Polly, bringing happiness to her aunt and other members of the community through her philosophy of gladness.
Kathleen Olmstead, 2007

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «POLLYANNA»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term Pollyanna is used in the context of the following news items.
1
'Inside Out' and the Pixar guide to parenting
Pollyanna Lenkic, director or the Australian training agency Perspectives Coaching, was writing on smartcompany.com.au. What Inside Out ... «Irish Times, Jul 15»
2
Biofuels in airlines' future
... that have plagued biofuel development, few want to promise an imminent biofuel revolution. “I'm not Pollyanna-ish about this,” says Felgar. «Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Jul 15»
3
Christine M. Flowers: Planned Parenthood's work is the worst of the …
Pollyanna had left the building a long time before. But it was only when I started handling the cases of people who had been tortured for their ... «Lima Ohio, Jul 15»
4
Beauty Files: Meet Barb Stegemann
It's not Pollyanna – we're still a business – but I won't compromise my philosophy. We're all going to die one day and this my trip, and I'm ... «Vancity Buzz, Jul 15»
5
Critics Forecast A Slight Chill in Autumn Air
Poniewozik: Call me Pollyanna but I hope we're nearing that point with diversity. We now have a show like Dr. Ken, and it's great that show ... «Broadcasting & Cable, Jul 15»
6
What a successful small business CEO looks like
Having a positive attitude is not about pie-in-the-sky promises or a maintaining a Pollyanna-ish attitude. It is about seeing things in perspective ... «Southernminn.com, Jul 15»
7
Shorten wins on boats, highlighting Labor's splits
With more optimism than Pollyanna, Mr Albanese, who ran against Mr Shorten for the leadership after the 2013 election, told ABC television's ... «The Australian, Jul 15»
8
It's time to embrace hormonal moodiness
But Holland has a Pollyanna-ish upside for plenty of emotional downsides, many of them grounded in evolutionary biology: feeling anxious or ... «Stuff.co.nz, Jul 15»
9
Police search for man accused of trying to abduct a woman in …
After the suspect had broken a lamp in the living room, the suspect forced one of the victims to drive to Pollyanna William Park at Auburn and ... «wreg.com, Jul 15»
10
Grandparents host grandkids to shower them with love
The girls liked “Old Yeller,” “Pollyanna” and “Swiss Family Robinson.” Fortunately, the wife and I liked all those old movies and I recommend all ... «Midland Reporter-Telegram, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Pollyanna [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/pollyanna>. May 2024 ».
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