egotism
pronunciation
How to pronounce egotism in British English:
UK ['eɡətɪzəm]
How to pronounce egotism in American English:
US [ˈiɡəˌtɪzəm, ˈɛɡə-]
-
- Noun:
- an exaggerated opinion of your own importance
- an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others
Word Origin
- egotism (n.)
- 1714, "too frequent use of 'I'," from ego + -ism. First used by Joseph Addison, who credits the term to "Port-Royalists" who used it in reference to obtrusive use of first person singular pronoun in writing, hence "talking too much about oneself." Meaning "self-conceit, selfishness" is from 1800. The -t- is abnormal, perhaps by influence of dogmatism.
Example
- 1. We live in a culture that encourages egotism .
- 2. Polish charges of eu egotism can grate .
- 3. I 'm not sure how to explain this pattern , but I don 't think it 's pure egotism .
- 4. Her problem is rather that she confuses her own promethean egotism with an ambition for her daughters .
- 5. Saddam hussein was one of the last of the 20th century 's great dictators , but not the least in terms of egotism , or cruelty , or morbid will to power .