ego

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The self, especially with a sense of self-importance.

   “When every thought absorbs your attention completely, when you are so identified with the voice in your head and the emotions that accompany it that you lose yourself in every thought and every emotion, then you are totally identified with form and therefore in the grip of ego. Ego is a conglomeration of recurring thought forms and conditioned mental-emotional patterns that are invested with a sense of I, a sense of self.”

2. (countable, uncountable)The most central part of the mind, which mediates with one's surroundings.

   “In the well adjusted person the ego is the executive of the personality and is governed by the reality principle.”

   “‘Everything begins with “I”, you mean. Which is ego,’ said Tom, placing an ankle behind his ear, ‘not id.’”

3. (countable, uncountable)A person's self-esteem and opinion of themselves.

   “Too many gay people "come out" publicly, yet fail to achieve truly healthy egos. They "adjust" to being less than whole or integrated persons.”

   “My columns in the early days of the Labour government often featured John Prescott, who was in charge of transport as part of a mega-department created to match his ego.”

4. (countable, uncountable)The individual from whose point of view a family tree or pedigree chart is drawn, or the reference point from whom kinship terminology is relative. (Used without the definite article the.)

   “the cousin of ego on the father's side”