egocentric

1 of 2

adjective

ego·​cen·​tric ˌē-gō-ˈsen-trik How to pronounce egocentric (audio)
 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
egocentrically adverb
egocentricity 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.

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
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Adjective
Getting major names like Scorsese to act as the most egocentric, exaggerated versions of themselves was no easy task. Emily Blackwood, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025 With some of the smartest writing on television, Community told the story of a group of students at Greendale, led by the egocentric Jeff Winger (Joel McHale). Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025 Related article How being a ‘gray rock’ can protect you against narcissists Now, a new study has found grandiose narcissists are not only more likely to feel ostracized but are also genuinely excluded more often than those with less egocentric personalities. Julianna Bragg, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025 Lanzmann, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 92, was a brilliant journalist, writer and filmmaker known for being highly confrontational, as well as highly egocentric. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for egocentric

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of egocentric was in 1894

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Cite this Entry

“Egocentric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/egocentric. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

egocentric

adjective
ego·​cen·​tric ˌē-gō-ˈsen-trik How to pronounce egocentric (audio)
: overly concerned with oneself : self-centered

Medical Definition

egocentric

1 of 2 adjective
1
: limited in outlook or concern to one's own activities or needs
2
: being self-centered or selfish
egocentrically adverb

egocentric

2 of 2 noun
: an egocentric individual

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