conceit
UK[kənˈsiːt]US[kənˈsiːt]
n
an excessively high opinion of oneself; vanity.
n
a fanciful or elaborate metaphor or artistic effect, especially in literature.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
ceit
con
with
ceit
to conceive
Etymology
the word 'conceit' entered english in the late middle english period, derived from the middle english 'conceite', a variant of 'concept'. this, in turn, came from the latin 'conceptum', the neuter past participle of 'concipere', meaning 'to conceive' (from 'con-', 'together' + 'capere', 'to take'). the original sense was 'an idea, a thought, or a concept'. over time, the meaning shifted from a general 'thought' to a specific 'fanciful thought' or 'ingenious expression' in literary contexts. by the 16th century, it had developed the pejorative sense of an 'overly favorable opinion of oneself', essentially the notion of having 'taken' an idea of oneself to an excessive degree.
Analysis
Structure: con + ceit
con- (Latin origin, a prefix meaning 'with', 'together', or 'completely'); -ceit (from Latin 'capere', meaning 'to take', via Old French 'conceivre', meaning 'to conceive').
Examples
his personal conceit was evident in the way he spoke about his accomplishments.
the poet's use of metaphysical conceit, comparing lovers to a compass, was brilliant.
freed from all conceit, she was able to listen to the criticism objectively.