word
Latin
Ego
lit. “I”
The conscious self — or, casually, an inflated sense of self-importance.
Origin
Freud's model split the psyche into id (drives), ego (reality-tested self), and superego (internalized morality). The ego mediates between drives and the world. Casual use has flattened it to mean 'pride.'
Modern usage
Two distinct uses: technical (psychology) and casual ('he has a huge ego'). Often confused.
Tags
psychology
self