Make Your Point > Archived Issues > NARCISSIST

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pronounce NARCISSIST: Say it "NAR suh sist." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Narcissists are totally in love with themselves.  Speaking of being your own #1 fan, see if you can recall a French term that literally means "love of the self:" someone's am___ pro___ is an extreme sense of pride or love for themselves, especially the kind that makes them easily offended whenever they feel someone is questioning how great they are. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: You probably remember Narcissus from Greek myth, the guy who literally dies because he can't tear himself away from his own gorgeous reflection. After he dies, a certain flower sprouts up in his place. So, since about 1586, the word "narcissus" has been the name of a type of flower: Flowers aside, by about 1805, we were using the word "narcissine" to mean "absolutely in love with yourself." Soon afterward, in 1822, we started using a noun, "narcissism," to mean "an unhealthy amount of self-love." The idea took on an official psychiatric tone in 1899, when a psychiatrist coined the same word in German, Narzissismus. Thanks to its popularity, the noun "narcissism" kind of pushed aside our old adjective "narcissine" to make room for "narcissistic," the adjective we use today. And a narcissistic person--someone who's totally in love with themselves--is called a narcissist. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Noun, the countable kind: "She's a narcissist;" "He's getting a reputation as a narcissist;" "That company is run by a bunch of narcissists." Other forms:  Narcissists, narcissistic, narcissistically, narcissism. You can also use the original name, Narcissus, either capitalized or not: "He is a Narcissus" (Oscar Wilde); "If you marry a narcissus, you will always end up wounded" (Erin Pizzey). how to use it: Well, it's a pretty harsh insult to call someone a narcissist. But sometimes you've got to do it. "Gilderoy Lockhart is a narcissist, claiming to be the world's most popular wizard and assuming everyone wants his autograph." examples: "I'm too ugly to be a narcissist."    — Mitch Albom, Tuesdays With Morrie, 1997 "One of sport's enduring narcissists... Mayweather is not slow to remind people he is still the biggest name in boxing."    — Kevin Mitchell, The Guardian, 14 March 2017 has this page helped you understand "narcissist"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "narcissist" without saying "boaster" or "egomaniac." try it out: According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, if people suffer from narcissistic personality disorder, then they have at least five of these traits: * a grandiose sense of self-importance  * a preoccupation with fantasies of success, power, brilliance, beauty, or perfect love * a belief that they are special and can only be understood by or should associate with other special people * a need for excessive admiration * a sense of entitlement, such as an unreasonable expectation of favorable treatment * a habit of taking advantage of others * a lack of empathy and an unwillingness to identify with the needs of others * envy of others or a belief that others are envious of them * arrogant, haughty behaviors and attitudes Now, most of us lack the credentials to actually diagnose someone. But just for fun, talk about someone famous, someone fictional, or someone you know personally who seems to meet the criteria for narcissistic personality disorder. If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game for February is "Piece It Together." Use your knowledge of the given terms to define a related, ultra-rare term. For example, you could use your knowledge of CELLULAR and MULTUM IN PARVO ("a lot in a little") to define the ultra-rare PARVOCELLULAR as "small-celled." To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy! Try this one today: Use BEAU MONDE and DIABLERIE to define BEAUTÉ DU DIABLE. review this word: 1. A close opposite of NARCISSIST is A. LEADER. B. SKEPTIC. C. ALTRUIST. 2. The lyrics sound a bit narcissistic: "_____." A. With a taste of a poison paradise, I'm addicted to you B. When we up in the club, all eyes on us, all eyes on us, all eyes on us C. You drive me crazy. I just can't sleep. I'm so excited. I'm in too deep Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. B Answer to the game question: BEAUTÉ DU DIABLE, French for "the devil's beauty," is the kind of youthful beauty that rascals have. a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.