Conceit

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kənˈsiːt/

Definitions

  1. An excessive pride in oneself or one's abilities, often manifested as vanity or self-importance
  2. An inflated sense of self-worth that leads to arrogance or an exaggerated belief in one's own talents and qualities
  3. A notion characterized by an overestimation of one's importance or abilities, often resulting in self-absorbed behaviors | A self-centered viewpoint where one has an inflated perception of their merits or talents, typically leading to hubris | A mindset that involves an exaggerated personal valuation which can manifest as egotism or an unreasonable pride in one's skills

Etymology: Before it took on its more familiar modern sense of excessive pride or self-regard, this word originally carried the meaning of a concept or idea, especially a fanciful or elaborate one. Its journey begins in the Latin verb "concipere," meaning "to take in, conceive, or imagine," which passed into Old French as "conceit" or "conceit," meaning "notion, idea, or thought." English adopted the term around the late 14th century, initially using it to signify a mental image or an imaginative concept. During the Renaissance, the term became especially prominent in literary circles, where it referred to a striking or elaborate metaphor or a witty, complex idea in poetry and prose. This literary sense of an ingenious or fanciful notion was central to the metaphysical poets of the 17th century, such as John Donne, who used "conceits" to express inventive and often paradoxical comparisons. Over time, the focus gradually shifted from the idea itself to the attitude of the person holding such ideas, particularly when those ideas were seen as overly complex, self-important, or inflated. By the 16th century, the word had also come to describe a sense of pride or vanity, a usage that overshadowed its original meaning. The modern sense of an overblown opinion of oneself reflects this evolution, capturing how imaginative notions moved from the mind to the ego. Thus, the word’s history reflects a fascinating shift from abstract mental images and literary devices to a psychological trait, linking creativity and imagination closely with human self-perception and pride.

Synonyms: pride, vanity, self-importance, arrogance, hubris

Antonyms: humility, modesty, selflessness, self-effacement, meekness