Swellheads

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to describe individuals who have an inflated sense of self-importance or pride; it can refer to those who are arrogant or overly confident about their abilities; in some contexts, it may indicate a group of people who share inflated egos and vain attitudes
2. This expression characterizes people with an exaggerated perception of their own worth or capabilities; it may also denote a collective of self-important individuals who display arrogance in their demeanor; often used to critique vanity and self-absorption
3. Referring to persons exhibiting boastful or conceited behavior, suggesting a pompous attitude towards their achievements; it can also apply to a community of individuals sharing this excessive self-regard; generally conveys a negative connotation regarding humility and modesty

Etymology: "Swellheads" is simply the plural of "swellhead," a compound of "swell" and "head." The word's own parts carry its meaning: a swelling head is a picture of someone puffed up with self-regard, as if pride had physically inflated them. The noun "swell" in the sense of a person who is a fine figure or who is conspicuously grand (as in the older "swell" meaning a stylish, fashionable person) is part of the same mix of meanings that lent the word its flavour of showy vanity. Because the word is built transparently from two common English words, there is no hidden foreign root or dramatic coinage to uncover. The plural simply applies the same noun to several people at once, which is why the word can also describe a group sharing the same inflated opinion of itself.

Synonyms: egotists, boasters, braggarts

Antonyms: humble, modest