Word of the Day: NARCISSIST
An egotist of the highest order
narcissist (noun) - someone exhibiting or afflicted by an inflated sense of self-importance, a constant need for admiration, manipulative or exploitative behavior, and a profound lack of empathy [nahr-suh-sist]
narcissism is a personality type marked by selfishness and self-obsession
narcissistic describes a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, an excessive need for admiration, and a profound lack of empathy for others
BREAKDOWN: We owe the eponym narcissist to the famous figure of Greek myth Narcissus, known in equal measures for his great beauty and self-obsession. Legend has it that Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water, consequently falling into said pool. While some tales then transform Narcissus into the flower of the same name, other authorities suggest the flower was actually named first in connection with the root NARC- meaning numbness in words like narcotic.
“Narcissism is not self-love. It’s the opposite of that. It’s a nagging horror that you are, deep down, unlovable. A narcissist needs the love, attention and admiration of others to survive because he or she cannot produce enough healthy self-respect to be at peace.” —Deborah Orr
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]