The word comes from the Greek legend of Narcissus. Narcissus was a handsome young man who was so enamored of his own good looks that he spent all of his time gazing admiringly at his own reflection in the surface of a pond. Eventually, he fell in and drowned. A beautiful white flower sprung up in his place.
Narcissistic people are usually very self-involved.
They can be charming and attentive on the surface, but it's usually just to get what they want from you. Narcissists are unable to experience genuine empathy for others. Narcissistic people are preoccupied by being special. Their self-esteem is tied into what others think of them and of how they come across to others. Just think of what it takes to be a movie star, or head of a big company, or an ambitious politician.