# ego

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈiɡo/ · frequency rank #6,898

## Definitions
1. The self, especially with a sense of self-importance.
2. The most central part of the mind, which mediates with one's surroundings.
3. A person's self-esteem and opinion of themselves.
4. 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.)

## Etymology
From Latin ego (“I”). Chosen by Freud’s translator as a translation of his use of German Ich as a noun for this concept from the pronoun ich (“I”). Doublet of I and Ich.

## Easily confused with
- **ex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ex)
- **et** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-et)
- **EU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-eu)
- **em** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-em)
- **el** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-el)
- **en** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-en)
- **eh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-eh)
- **er** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-er)
- **EP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ep)
- **ES** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-es)
- **EV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ev)
- **ew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ew)
- **ey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ey)
- **ez** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ez)
- **Ek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ek)
- **EI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ei)
- **eo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-eo)
- **EJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-ej)
- **end** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-end)
- **eye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ego-vs-eye)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ego