egoist

American  

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

noun

1. a self-centered or selfish person (altruist ).

2. an arrogantly conceited person; egotist.

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

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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

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Other Word Forms

• antiegoist noun
• egoistic adjective
• egoistically adverb

Etymology

Origin of egoist

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

Compare meaning

How does egoist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• egoist vs. egotist

Example Sentences

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

It even links to modern artistic conventions, since Dürer — an ambitious egoist who monogrammed almost everything he made — was the first artist to use media as a branding tool.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2016

The egoist doesn’t care about the public interest.   

From Forbes • Sep. 22, 2014

England egoist" who was "snuffed out by a French cook.

From The Guardian • May 14, 2010

Systematically to ignore these relations, then, is to act as if I were an egoist in the extremest sense, and held that there was no consciousness in the world except my own.

From A Review of the Systems of Ethics Founded on the Theory of Evolution by Williams, C. M.