Pompousness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The attribute of exhibiting an inflated sense of self-importance, often accompanied by arrogance and a tendency to display grandiosity A condition marked by an excessive need for admiration and a belief in one's superiority over others A quality defined by ostentation and a grandiose attitude towards oneself and one's achievements
2. The quality of displaying an overblown sense of one's own significance paired with arrogance
3. A character trait where someone feels and acts as if they are far more important than others in a showy or exaggerated way

Etymology: "Pompousness" is simply "pompous" with the suffix "-ness" attached, and the suffix is one of the oldest working parts of English. "-ness" turns an adjective into a noun naming a quality, so "kindness" is the quality of being kind and "pompousness" is the quality of being pompous. The suffix has an ancient pedigree: it descends from a Proto-Germanic formation that English inherited, and in Old English it appeared as "-nes", a form that became "-ness" in Middle English. The base word "pompous" carries most of the interest. It came into English from Old French "pompeux", which in turn traces back to Latin "pompa", meaning a solemn procession or display, and ultimately to Greek "pompē", a sending or escort, especially a ceremonial one. So the word began with the idea of a grand ceremonial parade. Over time that sense of public display turned into the idea of someone putting on airs. Taken together, "pompousness" describes the quality of putting on a grand, ceremonial show of self-importance, a meaning that grew straight out of the older notion of a formal procession.

Synonyms: self-importance, arrogance, pretentiousness, hubris, haughtiness

Antonyms: humility, modesty, meekness, simplicity, unpretentiousness