Too proud of your appearance or abilities, or unsuccessful and pointless.
From Old French 'vain,' derived from Latin 'vanus' meaning 'empty' or 'worthless.' The meaning shifted from 'empty' to 'proud' because pride was seen as an empty quality without substance.
Vain comes from the same root as 'vanish'—both suggest something that's essentially empty or unreal. Ancient Romans used 'vanus' to describe empty vessels, and it perfectly captures how vanity is all about empty pride!
Historically gendered feminine—vanity stereotyped as a woman's weakness in moral philosophy and religious tradition, used to dismiss women's self-care or self-assertion
Use without gendered assumption; acknowledge that self-care and appearance attention are human across genders and not inherently negative
["self-focused","appearance-conscious"]
Women's interest in appearance has been weaponized against women's credibility; reframe as neutral self-expression rather than moral failing
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