narcissism

[ nahr-suh-siz-em ]
See synonyms for: narcissismnarcissisticnarcissist on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.

  1. 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.

Origin of narcissism

1
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
  • Also nar·cism [nahr-siz-uhm]. /ˈnɑr sɪz əm/.

Other words for narcissism

Other words from narcissism

  • nar·cis·sist [nahr-suh-sist], /ˈnɑr sə sɪst/, nar·cist [nahr-sist], /ˈnɑr sɪst/, noun
  • nar·cis·sis·tic, nar·cis·tic, adjective
  • non·nar·cism, noun
  • non·nar·cis·sism, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use narcissism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for narcissism

narcissism

narcism (ˈnɑːˌsɪzəm)

/ (ˈnɑːsɪˌsɪzəm) /


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

Origin of narcissism

1
C19: from Narcissus

Derived forms of narcissism

  • narcissist, noun
  • narcissistic, adjective

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.