Conceited

Origin

Conceited began its life quite innocently, emerging from the Latin "conceptus," meaning "a collecting" or "a conceiving." Initially, the English word "conceit" referred to simply "an idea" or "a thought" formed in the mind—think of it as a creation of intellect. However, as the Renaissance bloomed, the word began to twist, moving from a mere mental notion to a specific kind of idea: one that was particularly clever or ingenious. This elevation of "ideas" eventually led to an unfortunate leap—the idea one had of oneself. By the 17th century, the term "conceit" often denoted an inflated or excessively high opinion of one's own intellect or accomplishments, and the adjective "conceited" was born to describe those who harbored such grandiose self-perceptions, turning an innocent 'thought' into a full-blown flaw of character.