noun
egoism
EE-goh-iz-um/ˈiːɡəʊɪzəm/
Giving priority to one's own interests.
His egoism shows as he pulls the shared platter toward himself.
Etymology
The “I” at the center of egoism first supported a theory about knowing only one's own mind. The word later covered pursuing one's own interests and then self-centeredness.
In context
Angelica, displaying no interest in Polly’s state of mind, and reverting, as she generally did, to herself, I’m always kind of expecting something to happen. So I just--wait. Her naïve egoism never affronted Polly.
More examples
- Her egoism leaves little room for anyone else's needs.
- The manager's egoism puts his bonus ahead of his team's welfare.
- Ethical egoism treats self-interest as the basis of moral choices.
Forms
egoist noun — A person who puts personal interests first.
egoistic adjective — Concerned primarily with one's own interests.
Similar words
- selfishness
- Emphasizes disregarding others' needs while seeking personal benefit.
- self-interest
- Names concern for personal benefit without necessarily implying selfishness.