superego

American  

[soo-per-ee-goh, -eg-oh] / ˌsu pərˈi goʊ, -ˈɛg oʊ /

noun

Psychoanalysis.

plural

superegos

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

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superego British  

/ -ˈɛɡəʊ, ˌsuːpərˈiːɡəʊ /

noun

1. 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 parents See also id 1 ego

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superego Cultural  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of superego

1890–95; translation of German Über-Ich (Freud); super-, ego

Example Sentences

As I previously stated, it's his id, his ego and his superego.

From Salon • Nov. 6, 2023

The superego is an internalized authority that at once holds us to a standard we are incapable of meeting and punishes us for our deficiencies.

From Washington Post • Apr. 27, 2023

“I often wonder,” Tillman reflected recently in the course of an email conversation, “how conscience, a superego, develops, and how becoming conscientious evolves. … My conscience led to my sense of obligation.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2022

If Elon Musk’s tweets are pure lizard-brain id, Bezos’ tweets are all superego — my guy probably workshops them, which is why they’re DOA, emotionally.

From The Verge • May 16, 2022

The latter includes all our defence mechanisms and most of the superego.

From Terrorists and Freedom Fighters by Vaknin, Samuel

Related Words

• shame