pride

The quality or state of being proud. A sense of one's own worth; reasonable self-esteem and satisfaction (in oneself, in one's work, one's family, etc).

How to use

The noun 'pride' is often used in formal and informal contexts to describe a positive sense of self-worth. A common grammatical nuance is that 'pride' can be uncountable, as in 'She has a lot of pride in her work,' but it can also be countable, as in 'He takes pride in being a good father.' Learners should note that 'pride' can sometimes have negative connotations when it implies excessive self-importance.