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Which mythological figure symbolizes vanity?

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vanity

American  

[van-i-tee] / ˈvæn ɪ ti /

noun

• vanities
  plural

1. excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, etc.; character or quality of being vain; conceit.

   Failure to be elected was a great blow to his vanity.

   Synonyms:

   ostentation, vainglory, complacency, egotism

   Antonyms:

   humility

2. an instance or display of this quality or feeling.

3. something about which one is vain or excessively proud.

   His good looks are his greatest vanity.

4. lack of real value; hollowness; worthlessness.

   the vanity of a selfish life.

   Synonyms:

   futility, triviality, folly, unreality, sham, emptiness

5. something worthless, trivial, or pointless.

6. vanity case.

7. dressing table.

8. a wide, counterlike shelf containing a wash basin, as in the bathroom of a hotel or residence, often equipped with shelves, drawers, etc., underneath.

9. a cabinet built below or around a bathroom sink, primarily to hide exposed pipes.

10. compact.

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adjective

1. produced as a showcase for one's own talents, especially as a writer, actor, singer, or composer.

   surprisingly entertaining for a vanity production.

2. of, relating to, or issued by a vanity press.

   a spate of vanity books.

vanity British  

/ ˈvænɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being vain; excessive pride or conceit

2. ostentation occasioned by ambition or pride

3. an instance of being vain or something about which one is vain

4. the state or quality of being valueless, futile, or unreal

5. something that is worthless or useless

6. short for vanity unit

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Usage

What does vanity mean? Vanity is the excessive pride in oneself, usually related to appearance or accomplishments, as in Simon’s vanity wouldn’t let him purchase a more practical car. Vanity can also refer to something a person is overly proud of, as in Lars’ only real vanity was his singing ability. Vanity can also refer to an area with a mirror where you would groom yourself, like a dressing table or a counter and sink. A vanity can also be a place for storing grooming products, such as a shelf, cupboard, or case. Example: That museum of vanity that he calls a house is just full of his own artwork and paintings.

Synonym Usage

See pride.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• vanitied
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vanities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vanity

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English vanite from Old French vanité from Latin vānitās, equivalent to vān- ( see vain) + -itās -ity

Explanation

Vanity is the quality of being vain, or having a ridiculous amount of pride. If you have excessive vanity in your appearance, you probably spend long hours sitting at your vanity table doing your makeup or plucking your nose hairs. If you pride yourself on looking absolutely perfect and refuse to do any work that might dirty your clothes or mess up your hair, someone might accuse you of vanity. Often vanity is empty, like the emperor’s in The Emperor's New Clothes. If someone pays to have her own book published even though it’s really bad, we say it is a vanity printing.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vanity vanities

Ms. Li’s novel about the vanity of artistic glory charts John’s youth as he is trained from infancy to be “the next Mozart.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Announcing that he would withdraw his amendment and leave the chamber, Offord said: "We did not come into this parliament to waste our time on vanity projects."

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Meanwhile, the primary bathroom is fit for royalty thanks to its all-green marble flooring and vanity.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

Stephen Barton, the BAFTA-nominated British composer credited with “score preparation” on the album, noted that if classical fans think of the music as an actor’s vanity project, they should think again.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

I walked straight past the tub to the vanity sink and grabbed the bottle of shampoo and held it out to her.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

Quartz is also a popular choice for bathroom vanities, shower walls and backsplash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

The design consultant refurnished the floors, relit the rooms and replaced the vanities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

The other bathrooms also boast glass-enclosed showers and dual marble vanities.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026

The bathrooms feature double marble vanities, a soaking tub, and a glass-enclosed shower.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 18, 2026

The trunk is in a tent, surrounded by rack after rack of vibrant costumes, props, and vanities with mirrors.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Related Words

• arrogance
• pride