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

Explanation

In psychoanalysis, the superego is the part of a person's mind that helps keep the id in check, guiding the person to follow learned rules rather than impulses. Sigmund Freud invented the terms ego, id, and superego when he developed his theories of psychoanalysis. They represent three parts of the human psyche, or mind. The superego is where morals and conscience come from, according to Freud. Your superego comes from what you've learned from parents, teachers, and other adults in your life. The word superego is the closest literal translation from the original German über-Ich.

Example Sentences

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

From Salon • Nov. 6, 2023

In other words, Edmundson has a super superego to offer us.

From Washington Post • Apr. 27, 2023

We like to imagine technology as a kind of superego: rational, impersonal, decisive.

From New York Times • Feb. 22, 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

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

From Terrorists and Freedom Fighters by Vaknin, Samuel

Related Words

• shame