/keuhn seet"/ , n.
1. an excessively favorable opinion of one's own ability, importance, wit, etc.
2. something that is conceived in the mind; a thought; idea: He jotted down the conceits of his idle hours.
3. imagination; fancy.
4. a fancy; whim; fanciful notion.
5. an elaborate, fanciful metaphor, esp. of a strained or far-fetched nature.
6. the use of such metaphors as a literary characteristic, esp. in poetry.
7. a fancy, purely decorative article.
8. Brit. Dial.
a. favorable opinion; esteem.
b. personal opinion or estimation.
9. Obs. the faculty of conceiving; apprehension.
10. out of conceit with , displeased or dissatisfied with.
v.t.
11. to flatter (esp. oneself).
12. Brit. Dial. to take a fancy to; have a good opinion of.
13. Obs.
a. to imagine.
b. to conceive; apprehend.
[ 1350-1400; ME conceyte, conceipt, deriv. of CONCEIVE by analogy with DECEIVE, DECEIT and RECEIVE, RECEIPT; cf. AF conceite; see CONCEPT ]
Syn. 1. self-esteem, vanity, egotism, complacency. See pride .
Ant. 1. humility.