conceit
excessive pride in one's own qualities or achievements; also, an elaborate metaphorical idea in literature
Word origin: From Latin concipere, to conceive (com- together plus capere to take), via the notion of a fancy formed in the mind.
Conceit in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing conceit in a sentence.
His conceit was so thorough that he genuinely could not imagine why others might disagree with him.
The poem turns on an extended conceit comparing memory to a flooded river.
Using “conceit” well
Conceit usually means excessive self-regard, but in literature it names an elaborate, surprising metaphor. The literary sense is a frequent GRE twist.
More GRE words starting with C
a small secret group plotting against a government or authority
having a hidden or mysterious meaning understood only by initiates
a harsh, jarring mixture of sounds
to obtain something by begging or sponging off others
falling off or shed at an early stage, especially of plant parts
to coax someone into doing something through flattery or persuasion
an event causing great damage, loss, or distress
misty, dim, or dark, and therefore obscure
Questions about “conceit”
See these words the way the GRE tests them.
Definitions in isolation do not stick. Sit a free, full-length GRE mock and meet this vocabulary inside real text completion and sentence equivalence questions, with your score and a worked solution for every answer.