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narcissism

[ nahr-suh-siz-em ]
/ ˈnɑr səˌsɪz ɛm /
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See synonyms for: narcissism / narcissistic / narcissist / narcistic on Thesaurus.com
noun
inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.
Psychiatry. narcissistic personality disorder.
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.

OTHER WORDS FOR narcissism

1 self-centeredness, smugness, egocentrism.
See synonyms for narcissism on Thesaurus.com
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Also nar·cism [nahr-siz-uhm]. /ˈnɑr sɪz əm/.

Origin of narcissism

First recorded in 1820–25, and in 1900–05 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

OTHER WORDS FROM narcissism

nar·cis·sist [nahr-suh-sist], /ˈnɑr sə sɪst/, nar·cist [nahr-sist], /ˈnɑr sɪst/, nounnar·cis·sis·tic, nar·cis·tic, adjectivenon·nar·cism, nounnon·nar·cis·sism, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to narcissism

arrogance, self-absorption, selfishness, assurance, boastfulness, boasting, bragging, conceit, conceitedness, ego, egoism, egomania, gasconade, haughtiness, insolence, ostentation, overconfidence, presumption, pride, self-confidence

How to use narcissism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for narcissism

narcissism

narcism (ˈnɑːˌsɪzəm)

/ (ˈnɑːsɪˌsɪzəm) /
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

Derived forms of narcissism

narcissist, nounnarcissistic, adjective

Word Origin for narcissism

C19: from Narcissus
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for narcissism

narcissism
[ (nahr-suh-siz-uhm) ]

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

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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