What does egotist mean?
An egotist is a person whose sense of self-importance dominates their behaviour — someone so preoccupied with their own abilities, appearance, or achievements that they have little genuine interest in others. The word carries an unmistakably critical tone: it suggests vanity and self-absorption rather than mere confidence. An egotist is typically depicted as someone who monopolises conversation, exaggerates their own role in events, and seeks admiration. In everyday use, calling someone an egotist is a pointed criticism, stronger than describing them as confident but somewhat milder than labelling them narcissistic. It derives from the Latin 'ego', meaning 'I', via 'egotism'. A related but distinct term is 'egoist', which refers to someone who acts out of rational self-interest; the two are frequently conflated, but an egotist is defined by inflated self-regard rather than calculated selfishness. The word is common in both British and American English and appears regularly in literary criticism, biography, and social commentary.
nounA person who is excessively self-centred or vain, who talks and thinks constantly about themselves.
- A person who is excessively conceited or absorbed in themselves; someone who habitually talks about their own importance or achievements.
"He was such an egotist that every conversation somehow circled back to his own achievements."
"She was an unrepentant egotist, convinced that the entire project hinged on her brilliance."
"The memoir reads less like history than like the confessions of a charming egotist."
Standard regular plural; used when referring to multiple such people.
"The boardroom was full of egotists competing for attention."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of egotist
Egotist comes from 'egotism', which entered English in the early 18th century (with some earlier attestation) from the Latin pronoun 'ego', meaning 'I', combined with the suffix '-ism'. The word originally carried a sense of excessive use of the first-person pronoun before broadening to describe self-centred character generally. It shares its root with other 'ego-' words borrowed from Latin, including 'egoist', 'egocentric', and 'ego' itself as a psychological term.
Related word forms
How egotist is actually used
Carries a strongly negative connotation, implying vanity rather than mere confidence. Slightly more formal than 'show-off'; often used interchangeably with 'egoist' in casual speech, though careful writers keep them distinct.
Easily confused with egotist
An egoist is someone who follows the philosophical principle of egoism (acting in self-interest), whereas an egotist is simply someone who is vainly self-obsessed.