ego

noun

ˈē-(ˌ)gō 

 also  ˈe-

plural egos

1

: the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world

2

a

: egotism sense 2

b

: self-esteem sense 1

3

: the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality compare id, superego

egoless adjective

Did you know?

Ego is the Latin word for "I." So if a person seems to begin every sentence with "I", it's sometimes a sign of a big ego. It was the psychologist Sigmund Freud (well, actually his original translator) who put ego into the popular vocabulary, but what he meant by the word is complex, so only other psychologists really use it in the Freudian sense. The rest of us generally use ego simply to mean one's sense of self-worth, whether exaggerated or not. When used in the "exaggerated" sense, ego is almost the same thing as conceit. Meeting a superstar athlete without a trace of this kind of ego would be a most refreshing experience. But having a reasonable sense of your own worth is no sin. Life's little everyday victories are good—in fact, necessary—for a healthy ego.

Synonyms

• pride
• pridefulness
• self-esteem
• self-regard
• self-respect

Examples of ego in a Sentence

I have enough ego not to want to give up easily in any contest or competition.

a star athlete with a refreshing lack of ego

Recent Examples on the Web

Good athletes are typically highly coachable, leaving their ego at the door, being adaptable and open to feedback and viewing constructive feedback as a gift toward improvement. —Jennifer Shewan, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

But fortunately for my oral health and fragile ego, my people-pleasing tendencies won out — and the product changed my life. —Mike Winters, CNBC, 29 Nov. 2024

Hopefully, Mercury’s direct station on December 15 will be the point from which some of these issues start to resolve themselves, but if egos were bruised on the way to arriving at a logistical solution, expect the burn to linger a bit through the winter. —Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Nov. 2024

There’s also the question of how long two massive egos such as Musk and Ramaswamy can share the spotlight, particularly considering Ramaswamy is the most irritating person in politics. —Nolan Finley, The Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, I — more at i

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ego

• alter ego
• ego ideal
• ego trip
• massage someone's ego

Kids Definition

ego

noun

ˈē-gō 

plural egos

1

: self entry 2 sense 1

especially : the conscious self

2

a

: conceit sense 1

has a big ego

b

: self-respect sense 1

Medical Definition

ego

noun

ˈē-(ˌ)gō also ˈeg-(ˌ)ō

plural egos

1

: the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world

2

: the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality compare id entry 1, superego