hubris

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The Word of the Day for April 15 is:

hubris   \HYOO-bris\   noun
     : exaggerated pride or self-confidence

Example sentence:
     Many have fallen into the trap of Icarus, and soar, 
overcome with hubris, until their pride is thwarted and rude 
reality hurls them earthward again.

Did you know?
     English picked up both the concept of hubris and the term 
for that particular brand of cockiness from the ancient Greeks, 
who considered hubris a dangerous character flaw capable of 
provoking the wrath of the gods. In classical Greek tragedy, 
hubris was often a fatal shortcoming that brought about the fall 
of the tragic hero. Typically, overconfidence led the hero to 
attempt to overstep the boundaries of human limitations and 
assume a godlike status, and the gods inevitably humbled the 
offender with a sharp reminder of his or her mortality.