Vanity
In conventional parlance, vanity is the excessive belief in one's own abilities or attractiveness to others (Stephen LaMarche). Prior to the 14th century it did not have such narcissistic undertones, and merely meant futility. The related term vainglory is now often seen as an archaic synonym for vanity, but originally meant boasting in vain, i.e. unjustified boasting; although glory is now seen as having an exclusively positive meaning, the Latin term gloria (from which it derives) roughly means boasting, and was often used as a negative criticism.
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Famous quotes containing the word vanity:
“We have no patience with other people’s vanity because it is offensive to our own.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)
“Virtue would not make such advances if there were not a little vanity to keep it company.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)
“We say little, when vanity does not make us speak.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)