egocentric

1 of 2

adjective

ego·​cen·​tric ˌē-gō-ˈsen-trik 

 also  ˌe-

1

: concerned with the individual rather than society

2

: taking the ego as the starting point in philosophy

3

a

: limited in outlook or concern to one's own activities or needs

b

: self-centered, selfish

egocentrically

ˌē-gō-ˈsen-tri-k(ə-)lē 

 also  ˌe-

adverb

egocentricity

ˌē-gō-ˌsen-ˈtri-sə-tē 

 also  ˌe-

noun

egocentric

2 of 2

noun

plural egocentrics

: a person who is egocentric : someone who is limited in outlook or concern to his or her own activities or needs : a self-centered person

Almost all the shows feature egocentrics who are self-aware enough to realize that they are egocentric, and who have the redeeming feature of generally being very good at what they do.

—Susan Dominus

As for the man, the book depicts him as a monster of selfishness, a disloyal exploiter of friends, an egocentric who feeds on perversity …

—Hubert Saal

Did you know?

Ego means "I" in Latin. To an egocentric person, I is the most important word in the language. Great artists and writers are often egocentrics; such people can be hard to live with, though their egocentricity, an unfortunate side effect of their talent, is often forgiven. But ordinary egocentricity, which shows up as selfishness, lack of sympathy, and lack of interest in other people, usually has little to do with any personal talent or success.

Synonyms

Adjective

• egoistic
• egoistical
• egomaniacal
• egotistic
• egotistical
• narcissistic
• self-absorbed
• self-centered
• self-concerned
• self-infatuated
• self-interested
• self-involved
• selfish
• self-loving
• self-obsessed
• self-oriented
• self-preoccupied
• self-regarding
• self-seeking
• self-serving
• solipsistic

Noun

• ego-tripper
• egoist
• egomaniac
• egotist
• narcissist

Examples of egocentric in a Sentence

Adjective

the cult attracts egocentric people who are preoccupied with reaching their potential as individuals

Noun

he's such an egocentric that he painstakingly records every detail of his unremarkable life

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

So begins possibly the most egocentric quest to humble oneself the stage has yet seen. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2024

Some of the men have been described as egocentric, aggressive, and routinely unfaithful. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2024

Feel how different these approaches are from the warmongering produced by egocentric thinking. —Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024

Leo: Delia Deetz As the dramatic sign of the zodiac, Leos can be a tad egocentric and passionate. —Lisa Stardust, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

ego + -centric

First Known Use

Adjective

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1901, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

egocentric

adjective

ego·​cen·​tric ˌē-gō-ˈsen-trik 

: overly concerned with oneself : self-centered

Medical Definition

egocentric

1 of 2 adjective

ego·​cen·​tric ˌē-gō-ˈsen-trik also ˌeg-ō- 

1

: limited in outlook or concern to one's own activities or needs

2

: being self-centered or selfish

egocentrically

-tri-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

egocentric

2 of 2 noun

: an egocentric individual