narcissism

Also nar·cism

[nahr-suh-siz-em]

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.

narcissism

/ 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

narcissism

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of narcissism¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of narcissism¹

C19: from _Narcissus

Example Sentences

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.

Read more on 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.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“She said, ‘Stop taking it all so seriously — it’s vanity and narcissism because nobody’s that interested in what you’re doing or thinking,’” he recalls.

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One of MAGA’s toxic innovations is the way it has weaponized narcissism for propaganda purposes.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• arrogance 
• self-absorption 
• selfishness