narcissism /när″sisiz′əm/ [Gk, Narcissus, mythic youth in love with himself] , 1. an abnormal interest in oneself, especially in one’s own body and sexual characteristics; self-love. 2. (in Freudian psychoanalytic theory) sexual self-interest that is a normal characteristic of the phallic stage of psychosexual development, occurring as the infantile ego acquires a libido. Narcissism in the adult is abnormal, representing fixation at this stage of development or regression to it. Compare egotism. See also narcissistic personality, narcissistic personality disorder.
