Arrogance

/ˈærəɡəns/

nounIntermediate📊CommonEmotion
1 meaning1 idiom/phrase1 question

Definitions

1

Having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.

/ˈærəɡəns/

nounnegativeIntermediate
Emotion

An excessive sense of one's own importance or abilities.

His arrogance was evident in the way he dismissed their suggestions.

💡 Simply: Being overly proud and self-important.

More Examples

2

The team's arrogance led to their downfall.

How It's Used

Psychology

"His arrogance prevented him from considering other perspectives."

Literature

"The novel explores the protagonist's downfall due to his overwhelming arrogance."

Idioms & expressions

full of oneself

Excessively proud and self-important; arrogant.

"He's so full of himself, it's unbearable."

From Middle English arrogannce, from Old French arrogance, from Latin arrogantia, from arrogans, present participle of arrogare "to claim, assume"

The word's negative connotations have remained consistent throughout its history, though its usage frequency has fluctuated.

Memory tip

Think of 'arrogant' acting like a 'king' – excessively proud.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"to claim, to demand"

Base: arrogant
blatant arrogancesheer arroganceunmitigated arrogance

Common misspellings

arroganncearogance

Usage

20%Spoken
80%Written