overconfident
UK[ˌəʊvəˈkɒnfɪdənt]US[ˌoʊvərˈkɑːnfɪdənt]
adj
Excessively confident; having too much belief in one's own abilities or judgment.
Morpheme Breakdown
over
confident
over
excessively
confident
feeling sure
Etymology
The word 'overconfident' is a relatively modern English compound, formed by combining the native English prefix 'over-' with the Latinate adjective 'confident'. The prefix 'over-', with its Germanic roots, carries the sense of excess or surpassing a limit. The base 'confident' derives from the Latin verb 'confidere', meaning "to trust fully," itself built from 'com-' (with, together) and 'fidere' (to trust). The compound thus logically constructs the meaning of possessing trust or certainty in oneself to an excessive or unwarranted degree, a concept that emerged to describe a specific psychological or behavioral flaw.
Analysis
Structure: over (excessively) + confident (feeling sure)
- over: A prefix of Old English origin, from a Germanic root meaning "over, above, beyond." In this word, it functions as an intensifier meaning "too much" or "excessively."
- confident: An adjective of Latin origin, from 'confidere' meaning "to have full trust." In this word, it functions as the base meaning "feeling or showing certainty."
Examples
His overconfident attitude before the exam led him to neglect his studies.
The coach warned the team against becoming overconfident after their early victory.
She made an overconfident prediction about the stock market that proved to be completely wrong.