narcissism

American  

[nahr-suh-siz-em] / ˈnɑr səˌsɪz ɛm /

Also narcism

noun

1. inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.

   Synonyms:

   egocentrism, smugness

2. Psychiatry. narcissistic personality disorder.

3. 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.

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narcissism British  

/ ˈnɑːsɪˌsɪzəm, ˈnɑːˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. an exceptional interest in or admiration for oneself, esp one's physical appearance

2. sexual satisfaction derived from contemplation of one's own physical or mental endowments

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narcissism Cultural  

1. A consuming self-absorption or self-love; a type of egotism. Narcissists constantly assess their appearance, desires, feelings, and abilities.

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Other Word Forms

• narcissist noun
• narcissistic adjective
• narcist noun
• narcistic adjective
• nonnarcism noun
• nonnarcissism noun

Etymology

Origin of narcissism

First recorded in 1820–25, and in 1900–05 narcissism for def. 3; narcissus, -ism. The psychoanalysis meaning is from the German word Narzissismus, coined in 1899 by Paul Näcke (1851–1913), German psychiatrist and criminologist

Example Sentences

Young Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is burdened with self-reproach, while old King Lear suffers from narcissism, vanity and madness.

From The Wall Street Journal

But his pitting of empathy in direct opposition to that clarity about our limitations is self-serving and, let’s be real, the kind of man-child narcissism currently being celebrated as strength.

From Los Angeles Times

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

Mr. Clooney has never had a better role, and he burrows deeply into it with a self-interrogating combination of narcissism, foolishness, bravado and charisma.

From The Wall Street Journal

Immediately, he’s intrigued at the thought of sampling so many flavors of narcissism.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arrogance
• self-absorption
• selfishness