megalomania

/ˌmɛɡəloʊˈmeɪniə/

Megalomania is a crazy hunger for power and wealth, and a passion for grand schemes. Comic book villains often suffer from megalomania. Their plans are thwarted only by superheroes.

Megalomania comes from the Greek megas ("great") and mania ("madness"). It is a madness of greatness, but not a great kind of madness! Megalomaniacs in history include Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon Bonaparte. People with megalomania tend to exaggerate their virtues and never see their faults.

Definitions of megalomania

1. noun

   a psychological state characterized by delusions of grandeur
   type of:

   mental disease, mental illness, psychopathy

   any disease of the mind; the psychological state of someone who has emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to require psychiatric intervention