definitions

superego

[ soo-per-ee-goh, -eg-oh ]
/ ˌsu pərˈi goʊ, -ˈɛg oʊ /
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noun, plural su·per·e·gos. Psychoanalysis.

the part of the personality representing the conscience, formed in early life by internalization of the standards of parents and other models of behavior.

RELATED WORDS

shame, conscience, compunction, anxiety, hesitation, reluctance, censor, twinge, difficulty, demur, pause, uneasiness, qualm, perplexity, caution, hesitancy, reconsideration, faltering, duty, morals

Nearby words

superdelegate, superdense, superdense theory, superdominant, superduct, superego, superelastic, superelevated, superelevation, supereminent, superencipher

Origin of superego

1890–95; translation of German Über-Ich (Freud); see super-, ego
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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British Dictionary definitions for superego

superego

/ (ˌsuːpərˈiːɡəʊ, -ˈɛɡəʊ) /

noun plural -gos

psychoanal that part of the unconscious mind that acts as a conscience for the ego, developing mainly from the relationship between a child and his parentsSee also id 1, ego
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

Medicine definitions for superego

superego

[ sōō′pər-ē′gō, -ĕg′ō ]

n. pl. su•per•e•gos

In psychoanalytic theory, the division of the psyche that censors and restrains the ego and has identified itself unconsciously with important persons from early life. It results from incorporating the values and wishes of these persons into one's own standards.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Culture definitions for superego

superego

[ (sooh-puhr-ee-goh) ]

In Freudian psychology, the part of the psyche that incorporates parental or community values and standards and acts as an inner check on behavior. The superego and ego, responding to social demands, are often in conflict with the primitive impulses of the id.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.