narcissism

American  

[nahr-suh-siz-em] / ˈnɑr səˌsɪz ɛm /

Also narcism

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.

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narcissism British  

/ 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

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narcissism Cultural  

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

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Other Word Forms

• narcissist noun
• narcissistic adjective
• narcist noun
• narcistic adjective
• nonnarcism noun
• nonnarcissism noun

Etymology

Origin of narcissism

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

Example Sentences

This is history as an authoritarian exercise in narcissism.

From Salon • Mar. 2, 2026

This produced an effect of narcissism leavened by good-heartedness.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

"It's a confused mix of ambition and narcissism, unleavened by any effort at intellectual coherence," said Bruce Jones, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

But others have a more mixed record, and one can see how their bullying and narcissism might have served them.

From Slate • Nov. 4, 2025

I had it in my mind that she’d grown up spending four hours a day in front of the mirror, narcissism to the point of solipsism.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

Related Words

• arrogance
• self-absorption
• selfishness