vanity
Sign in to savethumb|Vanitas (Latin for vanity) by Léon Bazille Perrault, 1886
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Vanity is excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements, a concept explored in art and literature since ancient times. It matters because it reflects how people value themselves and their possessions, and serves as a reminder of life's fleeting nature and what truly holds lasting worth.
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- Religion and philosophy
- Symbolism
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thumb|Vanitas (Latin for vanity) by Léon Bazille Perrault, 1886
Vanity is the excessive belief in one's own abilities or attractiveness compared to others. Prior to the 14th century, it did not have such narcissistic undertones, and merely meant futility. The related term vainglory is now often seen as an archaic synonym for vanity, but originally meant ''considering one's own capabilities and that God's help was not needed, i.e. unjustified boasting; although glory is now seen as having a predominantly positive meaning, the Latin term from which it derives, gloria, roughly means boasting'', and was often used as a negative criticism.