narcissist etymology

Etymology:

  • From Greek ναρκισσός (narkissos), the name of the flower narcissus, derived from the Greek myth of Narcissus, a young man who fell in love with his own reflection and was transformed into the flower.

Meaning:

  • A person who is excessively preoccupied with themselves, their appearance, and their sense of entitlement.
  • Someone who lacks empathy and has a grandiose sense of self-importance.
  • A person who is attention-seeking and manipulative.

Origin:

The term "narcissist" was first used in a psychological context by Austrian psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing in 1890 to describe a condition characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-importance and a lack of empathy for others.

The term gained wider recognition in the 1970s after the publication of Christopher Lasch's book "The Culture of Narcissism," which argued that American society was becoming increasingly narcissistic.

Today, the term "narcissist" is commonly used to describe a person who fits the diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder, a mental health condition characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy, and a need for excessive admiration.

narcissist relate terms

  • narcissism

    Etymology Derived from the Greek myth of Narcissus a beautiful youth who fell in love

  • narcissus

    Etymology and Meaning Etymology The word narcissus derives from the Greek word νά

  • chorister

    Etymology and Meaning Origin Old French choriste or Late Latin chorista Meaning

  • barrister

    Etymology Old French barretor meaning quarrelsome litigious person Late Latin ba