vainglory en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- [veɪnˈɡlɔː.ɹi] (UK)
- [ˈveɪnˌɡlɔɚ.i] (US)
Etymology
From Middle English waynglori (“worthless glory”), from Old French vaine glorie, from Medieval Latin vāna glōria, from Latin vāna (“empty, groundless, boastful”) + glōria (“fame, ambition, boasting”), apparently modelled after similar terms in Germanic languages. Compare Old English īdel wuldor (“vain glory”) and īdelġielp (“vainglory”).
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) Excessive vanity.
-
(countable, uncountable) Boastful, unwarranted pride in one's accomplishments or qualities.
Then he reasoned, as he had in the days past, that the course of human history had shown national pride—the inflexible kind—to be mankind’s worst enemy, and ordinary people paid the price in suffering. Nations had gone down because of vainglory, when moderation might have civilized and saved them.
1962, Arthur Hailey, “Chapter Eleven: The White House”, in In High Places (fiction):
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(countable, uncountable) Vain, ostentatious display.
The pew would soon want new flooring, Mr. Dangerfield thought, and the Castlemallard arms and supporters, a rather dingy piece of vainglory, overhanging the main seat on the wall, would be nothing the worse of a little fresh gilding and paint.
1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard:
- (countable, uncountable) A regarding of oneself with undue favor.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| vainglories | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Translations (46)
bg тщесла́вие (excessive vanity) · ru хвастли́вость (vain, ostentatious display) · it vanagloria (excessive vanity) · pt vanglória (vain, ostentatious display) · ka ტრაბახობა (vain, ostentatious display) · el ματαιοδοξία (boastful, unwarranted pride) · ru тщесла́вие (a regarding of oneself with undue favor) · ru тщесла́вие (excessive vanity) · bg суета (vain, ostentatious display) · uk марносла́вство (boastful, unwarranted pride) · ka ტრაბახობა (a regarding of oneself with undue favor) · de Ruhmsucht (boastful, unwarranted pride) · ru спесь (boastful, unwarranted pride) · ro orgoliu (boastful, unwarranted pride) · ka პატივმოყვარეობა (a regarding of oneself with undue favor) · ka პატივმოყვარეობა (excessive vanity) · pt vanglória (a regarding of oneself with undue favor) · es vanagloria (vain, ostentatious display) · ru хвастли́вость (a regarding of oneself with undue favor) · fi turhamaisuus (excessive vanity) · grc κενοδοξία (boastful, unwarranted pride) · ka პატივმოყვარეობა (vain, ostentatious display) · de Prahlerei (vain, ostentatious display) · ru тщесла́вие (vain, ostentatious display) · de Eitelkeit (excessive vanity) · de Prahlerei (boastful, unwarranted pride) · hu hencegés (vain, ostentatious display) · ru тщесла́вие (boastful, unwarranted pride) · es vanagloria (boastful, unwarranted pride) · fr gloriole (boastful, unwarranted pride) · es vanagloria (excessive vanity) · pt vanglória (excessive vanity) · gur uk-m-mẽŋa (boastful, unwarranted pride) · uk марносла́вство (excessive vanity) · pt vanglória (boastful, unwarranted pride) · el ματαιοδοξία (excessive vanity) · hu kérkedés (boastful, unwarranted pride) · tl pamansa (boastful, unwarranted pride) · grc κενοδοξία (excessive vanity) · ka პატივმოყვარეობა (boastful, unwarranted pride) · bg самохвалство (boastful, unwarranted pride) · hu beképzeltség (a regarding of oneself with undue favor) · hu elbizakodott gőg (excessive vanity) · fr vaine gloire (a regarding of oneself with undue favor) · fi turhamaisuus (boastful, unwarranted pride) · es jactancia (boastful, unwarranted pride)