self-importance
nounEtymology From self- + importance.
1
An exaggerated estimate of one's own importance or merit, especially as manifested by the conduct or manners; self-conceit.
- Lord Marchmont was about thirty years of age, and what is generally called a fine-looking man. His figure was good, as far as his height and proportion went; but his movements wanted ease, and, consequently, grace; and there was something of self-importance in his air—the last thing in the world to prepossess a beholder in his favour.1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 168–169:
- Wikileaks has always had a healthy sense of self-importance—one that seems, at least in part, well-deserved. But there's something uniquely hubristic about accusing a major newspaper (and former collaborator) of "gross negligence or malice" over the release of 251,000 unredacted top-secret cables—when the fault lies with the website itself.2011 August 31, Max Read, “Wikileaks^([sic]) Freaks Out at Newspaper Over Its Own Dumbassery”, in Gawker, archived from the original on 25 Sep 2011: