ego

American  

[ee-goh, eg-oh] / ˈi goʊ, ˈɛg oʊ /

noun

• egos
  plural

1. the “I” or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought.

2. Psychoanalysis. the part of the psychic apparatus that experiences and reacts to the outside world and thus mediates between the primitive drives of the id and the demands of the social and physical environment.

3. egotism; conceit; self-importance.

   Her ego becomes more unbearable each day.

4. self-esteem or self-image; feelings.

   Your criticism wounded his ego.

5. (often initial capital letter)

   1. the enduring and conscious element that knows experience.

   2. Scholasticism. the complete person comprising both body and soul.

6. Ethnology. a person who serves as the central reference point in the study of organizational and kinship relationships.

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ego British  

/ ˈɛɡəʊ, ˈiːɡəʊ /

noun

1. the self of an individual person; the conscious subject

2. psychoanal the conscious mind, based on perception of the environment from birth onwards: responsible for modifying the antisocial instincts of the id and itself modified by the conscience (superego)

3. one's image of oneself; morale

   to boost one's ego

4. egotism; conceit

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ego Cultural  

1. The “I” or self of any person (ego is Latin for “I”). In psychological terms, the ego is the part of the psyche that experiences the outside world and reacts to it, coming between the primitive drives of the id and the demands of the social environment, represented by the superego.

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Discover More

The term ego is often used to mean personal pride and self-absorption: “Losing at chess doesn't do much for my ego.”

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• egos
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of ego

First recorded in 1780–90; from Latin: “I”; psychoanalytic term is translation of German (das) Ich “(the) I”

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Explanation

Your ego is your conscious mind, the part of your identity that you consider your "self." If you say someone has "a big ego," then you are saying he is too full of himself. Poor ego, it gets such a bad rap, being so often confused with "megalomania" and "vanity" and all kinds of other nasty things, but strictly speaking it is only a psychological term popularized by Freud meaning the conscious (as opposed to the unconscious) mind, or the awareness of one's own identity and existence. Nothing wrong in that, is there?

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ego egos

"That lack of ego is really important in a world that everyone wants to show how amazing they all are… Kevin does it very quietly very subtly," explained the prince.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026

"ASEAN members are more than willing to help," Malaysian parliamentarian Hassan Abdul Karim told AFP, "provided Indonesia is willing to swallow their bigger ego and pride."

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Well before his alter ego materialized, and well before Hollywood found him, MacLachlan was prone to anxiety and fears of never fitting in.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

At first, the relationship was mostly the source of mockery that someone of the his stature apparently needs a full-time ego masseuse who often totes around enormous bags, which have generated speculation about their contents.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

There was no time to worry about a teenage girl’s bruised ego.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

Martin inherited a broken, expensive squad, which had lost the faith and connection with supporters and a dressing room which let egos get in the way and lacked work ethic.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Absolutely, and the way it doesn’t get into my head is watching other comedians destroy their careers because of their big egos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

It also offered a glimpse of the competing interests, egos and power struggles involved in getting one of boxing's most elusive fights over the line.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

When asked by Fortune about the risk of human extinction, Altman said: "We all have a tremendous amount of responsibility, and cannot let egos or incentives for profit or anything else get in the way."

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

They did not measure their joy in goods sold, their egos in bank balances, nor their loves in what they cost.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

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Related Words

• character
• psyche

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