egotist
C1Formal, academic, and literary; also used in general criticism.
Definition
Meaning
A person who is excessively self-centered and talks too much about themself.
A person who habitually seeks to draw attention to themself and their achievements, often with a lack of regard for others.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers specifically to the quality of being self-absorbed and boastful. Implies an inflated sense of self-importance. Distinguish from 'egoist', which in philosophy denotes an ethical theory, though in general usage they are often conflated.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or pronunciation difference. The word is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally negative in both dialects, describing an unlikeable, self-promoting personality.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English, reflecting cultural stereotypes of individualism.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[egotist] + about + [topic][article/determiner] + [adjective] + egotistVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's in love with the sound of his own voice.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used critically to describe a leader or colleague who takes excessive credit and ignores team contributions.
Academic
Used in psychology, literary criticism (analysing characters), and social sciences to discuss personality traits.
Everyday
Used as a criticism of someone perceived as arrogant and self-centred.
Technical
Not a technical term; its use is descriptive rather than diagnostic.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (No direct verb form; related verb is 'to ego-trip' — He's always ego-tripping.)
American English
- (No direct verb form; use constructions like 'to act like an egotist')
adverb
British English
- (Rare; 'egotistically' — He spoke egotistically for an hour.)
American English
- (Rare; 'egotistically' — She behaved egotistically throughout the project.)
adjective
British English
- His egotistic tendencies made him unpopular in the department.
- That was an egotistical remark.
American English
- Her egotistic behaviour derailed the meeting.
- It was an egotistical display.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He is an egotist. He talks about himself all the time.
- The manager was a terrible egotist who never listened to his team's ideas.
- Despite his talent, his reputation as an insufferable egotist made collaboration difficult.
- The biography revealed the celebrated author to be a profound egotist, whose letters contained scarcely a mention of his family.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
EGOTIST: 'EGO' + 'TIST' (like 'artist') — imagine an 'artist' who only paints pictures of their own 'ego'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SELF IS A LOUDSPEAKER / SELF IS A MONUMENT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'эгоист' (egoist), which primarily means 'selfish person'. 'Egotist' is more about boasting and self-centred talk than selfish action.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing spelling: 'eggotist' is incorrect.
- Using it as a direct synonym for 'selfish person'. An egotist may be selfish, but the core idea is self-promotion and boastfulness.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of an egotist?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In strict usage, an 'egoist' is someone devoted to their own self-interest (selfish), while an 'egotist' is boastful and self-centred in speech. In modern general use, they are often used interchangeably.
Yes, it is more formal and literary than informal synonyms like 'show-off' or 'bighead'.
Rarely. It is almost always a criticism. A possible non-pejorative use might be in historical analysis, e.g., 'He was an egotist, but that self-belief drove his innovations.'
'Egotism' is the noun for the quality or practice of being an egotist.