English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

Variant of miserable +‎ -ist, with interconsonant -i- added due to difficulty or lack of flow in pronouncing miserablist.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ]

miserabilist (plural miserabilists)

One who is unhappy, or extols being miserable as a virtue; a philosopher of pessimism. 1991 , Anthony Powell, Under review: further writings on writers, 1946-1989 , page 242 Gissing is never more of a miserabilist than when trying to be light-hearted.

, Anthony Powell, , page 242 2006 , Iain Sinclair, London: city of disappearances , page 314 An old, failed actor who lived on his own, he never had friends dropping by, because he was a bedridden inconsiderate miserabilist .

, Iain Sinclair, , page 314 2009 February 7, Lucy Mangan, “Lucy Mangan: This week”, in The Guardian ‎[1]: February 7, Lucy Mangan, “Lucy Mangan: This week”, in The former Smiths singer, professional miserabilist, vegetarian and gladioli-distributor has posed nude for the inner sleeve artwork for his new single, Heaven Knows I'm Naked Now.

Usage notes [ edit ]

Also appears as variant miserablist (without interconsonantal -i-), but this latter is less common; likewise miserabilism (with -i-) is more common than miserablism (without -i-).

Synonyms [ edit ]

Related terms [ edit ]

Translations [ edit ]