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:
“If vanity does not quite overturn our virtues, yet at least it makes them all totter.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)
“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
—Bible: Hebrew Ecclesiastes 1:2 passim.
“By rendering the labor of one, the property of the other, they cherish pride, luxury, and vanity on one side; on the other, vice and servility, or hatred and revolt.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)