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egoist

American  
[ee-goh-ist, eg-oh-] / ˈi goʊ ɪst, ˈɛg oʊ- /

noun

  • egoists
    plural
  1. a self-centered or selfish person (opposed to altruist).

  2. an arrogantly conceited person; egotist.

  3. an adherent of the metaphysical principle of the ego, or self; solipsist.


egoist British  
/ ˈɛɡ-, ˈiːɡəʊɪst /

noun

  1. a person who is preoccupied with his own interests; a selfish person

  2. a conceited person; egotist

  3. ethics a person who lives by the values of egoism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of egoist

From the French word égoïste, dating back to 1775–85. See ego, -ist

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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.

See Examples For:

In Season 1, Jamie was introduced as a loud-mouthed egoist with an affinity for flamboyant clothing, often acting as an antagonist for Brett Goldstein’s often angry, introverted Roy Kent.

From Los Angeles Times May 31, 2022

Howard Jacobson’s novella “Pussy,” to be published in Britain in April, is a fairy tale about an egoist from a golden city who falls into a leadership position.

From New York Times Mar. 1, 2017

A nervous flier but a bigger egoist, Ali once refused to buckle up when a flight attendant asked him to do so moments before take-off.

From The Guardian Jun. 4, 2016

The egoist doesn’t care about the public interest.   

From Forbes Sep. 22, 2014

People think of LaFollette, the public man, as an egoist but this nursing of his son showed the utmost absence of egoism.

From Behind the Mirrors The Psychology of Disintegration at Washington by Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace) Gilbert

This demand gives the lie to a common misconception of liberalism, namely, that it is an ethic of insouciant self-indulgence, a politics for blithe egoists.

From Salon Sep. 9, 2023

And so you get blowhards and sycophants, egoists and ignoramuses mixed in among those just striving to be dedicated public servants.

From Washington Post May 10, 2022

“Austria cannot afford any egoists right now,” he said.

From New York Times Oct. 9, 2021

It is arduous even pretending to be interested in self-absorbed egoists.

From The Guardian Jan. 24, 2018

"There are three sorts of egoists: those who live themselves and let others live; those who live themselves and don't let others live; and those who neither live themselves nor let others live."

From Anne by Constance Fenimore Woolson

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