# narcissism

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈnɑːsəˌsɪzm/ · frequency rank #27,229

## Definitions
1. A self-centered personality trait in which the person is infatuated with their own characteristics and image that are idealized while others and their differences are devalued in comparison (unless sameness kindles spectacular affinity that forms a rerouting of one's self-love, i.e. the person can see themselves in the other).
2. Sexual desire for one's own body.

## Etymology
From obsolete German Narzissismus (now Narzissmus by haplology), from Narziss (“Narcissus”) + -ism. By surface analysis, Narciss(us) (“character in Greek mythology who became obsessed with his own reflection”) + -ism.

## Easily confused with
- **narcissus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/narcissism-vs-narcissus)
- **narcissist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/narcissism-vs-narcissist)

## Common misspellings (14)
`anrcissism`, `nacrissism`, `narccissism`, `narcisism`, `narcisissm`, `narcissims`, `narcissismm`, `narcississm`, `narcisssim`, `narcsisism`, `naricssism`, `narrcissism`, `nnarcissism`, `nracissism`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/narcissism