noun
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concern for one's own interests and welfare
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ethics the theory that the pursuit of one's own welfare is the highest good Compare altruism
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self-centredness; egotism
Synonym Usage
See egotism.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of egoism
First recorded in 1775–85; from French égoïsme, from New Latin egoismus, equivalent to ego ego ( def. ) + -ismus -ism ( def. )
Explanation
Someone who is full of himself and doesn't give a darn about other people has a healthy supply of egoism. Egoism means "me me me me me-ism." Egoism has a lot to do with selfishness, which sounds like a bad thing, right? Not necessarily. Some people think that being selfish is the best thing to do for the world as a whole. In other words, if everyone is selfish, everyone will be better off. So egoism can be considered positive or negative — it all depends how someone uses the word. This makes egoism different from egotism — an always yucky type of selfishness.
Vocabulary lists containing egoism
Some Political and Philosophical -isms
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Power Suffix: -ism
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The Suffix -ism, Part 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Egoism mastered diffidence, countered improvidence with "confidence in my strength and cleverness," and channeled all energies into the prolific output of well-made novels.
From Time Magazine Archive
Egoism is giving the "I" undue supremacy in thought; egotism is giving the "I" undue prominence in speech.
From English Synonyms and Antonyms With Notes on the Correct Use of Prepositions by Fernald, James Champlin
WM Egoism the principle of, 17; Parkman on, 20; demoralizing effect of, 20.
From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various
Egoism is an intellectual gesture, a spiritual attitude, a temperamental atmosphere.
From Suspended Judgments Essays on Books and Sensations by Powys, John Cowper
But not so; Egoism returns to the struggle.
From Overshadowed A Novel by Griggs, Sutton E. (Sutton Elbert)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
