Conceit Meaning
/kənˈsiːt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounSomething conceived in the mind; an idea, a thought.
nounThe faculty of conceiving ideas; mental faculty; apprehension.
Sentence Examples
Her conceit about her beauty annoyed many people.
He is so full of conceit that everybody dislikes him.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
His unbearable ____ made him believe he was smarter than everyone else.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
His shocking arrogance and excessive ____ made him very unpopular among peers.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English conceyte, formed from conceyven by analogy with pairs such as (Modern English) deceive~deceit, receive~receipt etc. Doublet of concept and concetto. Akin to Portuguese conceito.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In laughing, there ever procedeth a conceit of somewhat ridiculous."
— 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
"a man wise in his own conceit"
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 26:12:
"It was after a night like this that I shocked the community with a queer conceit about the burial of the rich and celebrated Squire Brewster […]"
— 1922, H. P. Lovecraft, “The Tomb”, in The Vagrant:
"How often, alas! did her eyes say unto me that they loved! and yet I, not looking for such a matter, had not my conceit open to understand them."
— a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
"His wit's as thick as Tewksbury mustard; there is no more conceit in him than is in a mallet."
— c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
His unbearable ____ made him believe he was smarter than everyone else.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
His shocking arrogance and excessive ____ made him very unpopular among peers.