grandiosity
grandiosity Lexical Profile
grandiosity Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The quality or state of being excessively grand, pompous, or pretentious in style, scale, or ambition.
"The architect's latest design was criticized for its unnecessary grandiosity and lack of practical living space."
In psychology and psychiatry, an unrealistic, inflated sense of one's own importance, power, knowledge, or identity.
"During manic episodes, the patient frequently exhibited extreme grandiosity, believing he could solve the global financial crisis overnight."
Word Nuance & Usage
Unlike 'grandeur', which praises genuine magnificence and nobility, 'grandiosity' usually carries a critical or clinical tone, implying pretentiousness, overambition, or an unrealistic sense of superiority.
• Rhymes for grandiosity
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the early 19th century from 'grandiose' plus the noun suffix '-ity', or borrowed from French 'grandiosité', ultimately tracing back to Italian 'grandioso' and Latin 'grandis' (meaning 'large' or 'great').