inferiority complex: Meaning and Definition of

inferior'ity com"plex

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. intense feeling of inferiority, producing a personality characterized either by extreme reticence or, as a result of overcompensation, by extreme aggressiveness.
  2. lack of self-esteem; feeling of inadequacy; lack of self-confidence.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.