narcissism
Americannoun
-
inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.
- Synonyms:
- egocentrism, smugness
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Psychiatry. narcissistic personality disorder.
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Psychoanalysis. erotic gratification derived from admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development.
noun
-
an exceptional interest in or admiration for oneself, esp one's physical appearance
-
sexual satisfaction derived from contemplation of one's own physical or mental endowments
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of narcissism
First recorded in 1820–25, and in 1900–05 narcissism for def. 3; see narcissus, -ism. The psychoanalysis meaning is from the German word Narzissismus, coined in 1899 by Paul Näcke (1851–1913), German psychiatrist and criminologist
Explanation
Do you have a friend who constantly turns the conversation to themselves, as in "That's great about your winning the award but do you think these pants look good on me?" They're putting their narcissism, or excessive love of self, on display. In psychoanalysis, narcissism is erotic gratification derived from excessive love for yourself, and is considered to be a normal developmental stage. The reference is to Narcissus, a beautiful youth in Greek mythology who fell in love with his reflection in a body of water and was changed into the flower narcissus, which grows near water.
Vocabulary lists containing narcissism
Power Suffix: -ism
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Reading: Literature - Mythology - Middle School
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Ancient Greece: Mythology and Literature - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is history as an authoritarian exercise in narcissism.
From Salon • Mar. 2, 2026
"It's a confused mix of ambition and narcissism, unleavened by any effort at intellectual coherence," said Bruce Jones, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
What’s more, she respects her subject without eliding his narcissism or disingenuity.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025
The new film “Jay Kelly” grapples with the personal and emotional toll of stardom, but perhaps its greatest feat is that it never feels purely like a product of indulgent Hollywood narcissism.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025
Professional narcissism is by no means confined to academia.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
