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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

self-importance en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swé? Proto-Indo-European *selbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *selbaz Old English self Old English self- Middle English self- English self- English importance English self-importance From self- + importance.

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) An exaggerated estimate of one's own importance or merit, especially as manifested by the conduct or manners; self-conceit.
    • Lord Marchmont was about thirty years of age, and what is generally called a fine-looking man. His figure was good, as far as his height and proportion went; but his movements wanted ease, and, consequently, grace; and there was something of self-importance in his air—the last thing in the world to prepossess a beholder in his favour. 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 168–169:
    • Wikileaks has always had a healthy sense of self-importance—one that seems, at least in part, well-deserved. But there's something uniquely hubristic about accusing a major newspaper (and former collaborator) of "gross negligence or malice" over the release of 251,000 unredacted top-secret cables—when the fault lies with the website itself. 2011 August 31, Max Read, “Wikileaks^([sic]) Freaks Out at Newspaper Over Its Own Dumbassery”, in Gawker, archived from the original on 25 Sep 2011:

Translations (15)

fi itsetärkeys (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · ru ва́жность (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · ru самомне́ние (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · cmn 自視過高 /自视过高 (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · ru надме́нность (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · cmn 妄自尊大 (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · hu nagyképűség (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · pt soberba (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · ga postúlacht (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · nb selvhøytidelighet (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · mi whakaī (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · ga mórchúis (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · hu beképzeltség (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · mi whakakake (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance) · ru напы́щенность (exaggerated estimate of one's own importance)