What does conceitedness mean?
Conceitedness is the quality of holding an excessively high opinion of oneself — one's abilities, appearance, or importance. It is the abstract noun corresponding to the adjective 'conceited', describing a settled character trait rather than a passing moment of pride. A person marked by conceitedness tends to overestimate their own merits, dismiss criticism, and seek admiration, often at the expense of genuine self-awareness. The word carries an unmistakably negative connotation: unlike confidence, which rests on a realistic appraisal of one's strengths, conceitedness implies inflation and vanity. In usage it sits in a slightly formal register, appearing more often in writing than in casual conversation, where speakers typically prefer words like arrogance, ego, or smugness. Its etymology traces back to 'conceit', which itself derives from the Latin concipere, 'to take in or conceive' — making conceitedness, fittingly, a self-conception taken to excess.
nounThe quality or state of being conceited; an excessively favorable opinion of oneself and one's abilities.
- An excessive sense of one's own importance, merit, or attractiveness; the trait of being conceited.
"His conceitedness made it difficult for colleagues to work with him."
"Years of flattery had fed his conceitedness until he could no longer take criticism of any kind."
"She spoke with such conceitedness about her achievements that the room fell silent."
Rarely pluralized; as an uncountable abstract quality, conceitedness normally appears only in the singular. Any plural form would be unusual outside contrived contexts.
"The novel catalogues the various conceitednesses of its cast of self-important characters."
Conceitedness literally comes from a word meaning 'to conceive' — so a conceited person is, etymologically speaking, someone who has 'conceived' far too high an opinion of themselves.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of conceitedness
Conceitedness derives from 'conceited', the adjectival form of 'conceit', a word borrowed from French conceit/conceivre-descended forms ultimately rooted in Latin concipere ('to take in, conceive'). Originally, in the sixteenth century, 'conceit' meant simply a conception, idea, or fancy; by the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries it had developed the now largely historical sense of an exaggerated opinion of oneself, from which both 'conceited' and 'conceitedness' arose. Cognates include 'conceive', 'conception', and 'conceivable', all sharing the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How conceitedness is actually used
Conceitedness is a somewhat formal or literary variant of the more common noun 'conceit' (in its character-trait sense) or adjective 'conceited'. It carries an unambiguously negative connotation, implying vanity and inflated self-opinion rather than justified confidence. It is less frequent in everyday speech than related terms like arrogance or ego.
Easily confused with conceitedness
Confidence is a realistic trust in one's abilities, while conceitedness is an inflated, exaggerated self-regard.