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

“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.

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A movie about a famous and, frankly, selfish actor taking stock late in life feels like the kind of exercise in self-reflective narcissism that, once upon a time in Hollywood, Oscar voters adored.

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It answers Riefenstahl’s carefully chosen narrative, a fable of disillusioned purity, with an equally forensic counternarrative exposing her childlike narcissism about the impact of her talent.

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To me the horror of the movie was about, from the child’s perspective, looking at all these adults who were totally incapable, whether it was due to addiction or narcissism.

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Related Words

• arrogance 
• self-absorption 
• selfishness