Napoleon complex

noun

plural Napoleon complexes

: a domineering or aggressive attitude perceived as a form of overcompensation for being physically small or short

—not used technically

… short-fused assistant principals with Napoleon complexes.

—Robert Wilder

Call it a Napoleon complex or call it confidence, but the tiniest of dogs are usually the ones who take no crap.

—Heather Barnett

He has a Napoleon complex, by virtue of being small and young in a job meant for the mighty and wise.

—Spencer Kornhaber

Allison Anders was not your typical five-foot, four-inch film school nerd with a Napoleon complex the size of Texas.

—Veronica Chambers

Examples of Napoleon complex in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Everyone’s familiar with the Napoleon complex—a syndrome wherein a man displays aggressive or domineering behavior to compensate for his short stature. —Graham Techler, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

after napoléon i (Napoléon Bonaparte)

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above