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conceited

 - 5 dictionary results

con⋅ceit⋅ed

[kuhn-see-tid]
–adjective
1. having an excessively favorable opinion of one's abilities, appearance, etc.
2. Archaic.
a. having an opinion.
b. fanciful; whimsical.
3. Obsolete. intelligent; clever.

Origin:
1535–45; conceit + -ed 2


con⋅ceit⋅ed⋅ly, adverb
con⋅ceit⋅ed⋅ness, noun


1. vain, proud, egotistical, self-important, self-satisfied.

con⋅ceit

[kuhn-seet]
–noun
1. an excessively favorable opinion of one's own ability, importance, wit, etc.
2. something that is conceived in the mind; a thought; idea: He jotted down the conceits of his idle hours.
3. imagination; fancy.
4. a fancy; whim; fanciful notion.
5. an elaborate, fanciful metaphor, esp. of a strained or far-fetched nature.
6. the use of such metaphors as a literary characteristic, esp. in poetry.
7. a fancy, purely decorative article.
8. British Dialect.
a. favorable opinion; esteem.
b. personal opinion or estimation.
9. Obsolete. the faculty of conceiving; apprehension.
–verb (used with object)
10. to flatter (esp. oneself).
11. British Dialect. to take a fancy to; have a good opinion of.
12. Obsolete.
a. to imagine.
b. to conceive; apprehend.
13. out of conceit with, displeased or dissatisfied with.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME conceyte, conceipt, deriv. of conceive by analogy with deceive, deceit and receive, receipt; cf. AF conceite; see concept


1. self-esteem, vanity, egotism, complacency. See pride.


1. humility.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To conceited
con·ceit   (kən-sēt')   
n.  
  1. A favorable and especially unduly high opinion of one's own abilities or worth.

  2. An ingenious or witty turn of phrase or thought.

    1. A fanciful poetic image, especially an elaborate or exaggerated comparison.

    2. A poem or passage consisting of such an image.

    3. The result of intellectual activity; a thought or an opinion.

    4. A fanciful thought or idea.

    5. A fancy article; a knickknack.

    6. An extravagant, fanciful, and elaborate construction or structure: "An eccentric addition to the lobby is a life-size wooden horse, a 19th century conceit" (Mimi Sheraton).

    1. The result of intellectual activity; a thought or an opinion.

    2. A fanciful thought or idea.

    3. A fancy article; a knickknack.

    4. An extravagant, fanciful, and elaborate construction or structure: "An eccentric addition to the lobby is a life-size wooden horse, a 19th century conceit" (Mimi Sheraton).

    1. A fancy article; a knickknack.

    2. An extravagant, fanciful, and elaborate construction or structure: "An eccentric addition to the lobby is a life-size wooden horse, a 19th century conceit" (Mimi Sheraton).

tr.v.   con·ceit·ed, con·ceit·ing, con·ceits
  1. Chiefly British To take a fancy to.

  2. Obsolete To understand; conceive.


[Middle English, mind, conception, from Anglo-Norman conceite, from Late Latin conceptus; see concept.]
Synonyms: These nouns denote excessive high regard for oneself: boasting that reveals conceit; imperturbable egoism; arrogance and egotism that were obvious from her actions; narcissism that shut out everyone else; wounded his vanity by looking in the mirror.
Antonym: humility
con·ceit·ed   (kən-sē'tĭd)   
adj.  Holding or characterized by an unduly high opinion of oneself; vain.
con·ceit'ed·ly adv., con·ceit'ed·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

conceit 
c.1374, from conceiven (see conceive). An Eng. formation based on deceit and receipt. Sense evolved from "something formed in the mind," to "fanciful or witty notion" (1513), to "vanity" (1605) through shortening of self-conceit (1588). Conceited "having an overweening opinion of oneself" is from 1597.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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