alter ego

American  

[awl-ter ee-goh, eg-oh, al-] / ˈɔl tər ˈi goʊ, ˌɛg oʊ, ˈæl- /

noun

1. a second self; a perfect substitute or deputy.

   His adviser acts as his alter ego during his absence.

2. an inseparable friend.

3. another aspect of one's self.

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alter ego British  

/ ˈæltər ˈiːɡəʊ, ˈɛɡəʊ /

noun

1. a second self

2. a very close and intimate friend

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alter ego Cultural  

1. An intimate friend, considered another side of oneself: “He was my alter ego; we were always picking up each other's thoughts.” Alter ego is Latin for “another I.”

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Etymology

Origin of alter ego

1530–40; < Latin (Cicero), probably translation of Greek állos egṓ, héteros egṓ another I

Example Sentences

Long Beach Coast, the city’s new professional baseball team, will use Long Beach Regulators as an “alter ego.”

From Los Angeles Times

The official name of Long Beach’s new minor league baseball team was announced Tuesday along with the name of its “alter ego”: the Long Beach Regulators.

From Los Angeles Times

PdVSA is effectively Venezuela’s alter ego, tied at the hip given that oil remains the lifeblood of the economy.

From Barron's

PdVSA is effectively Venezuela’s alter ego, tied at the hip given that oil remains the lifeblood of the economy.

From Barron's

All the while, Schnapp and his fictional alter ego became increasingly intertwined.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• soul mate