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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

special snowflake syndrome en · NOUN

Etymology

From the idea that every snowflake has a unique structure. Compare snowflake (“someone who believes they are as unique and special as a snowflake”).

Meanings

  1. (derogatory, uncountable) The conviction that one (or often one's child) is, in some way, special and should therefore be treated differently from others.
    • Although we all like to think we are unique and experience the world in our own way—we all have a touch of the Special Snowflake Syndrome—people are in fact more alike than different. 2014, Douglas O. Linder, Nancy Levit, The Good Lawyer: Seeking Quality in the Practice of Law, page 181:
    • America is plagued by the disease of Special Snowflake Syndrome. This is a contracted condition that afflicts the ego; it's where we believe ourselves to be utterly unique and better than everyone else. 2015, Jacob D. Myers, Making Love with Scripture:
    • Ah, the Tumblrfication of queer spaces... Maybe we'll finally get the courage to start speaking up against and calling this out without fear of Internet lynch mobs... 2015, Mattew Henry, “Special Snowflake Syndrome is ruining the progressive LGBTQ movement”, in alt.fan.rush-limbaugh (Usenet):