ego-driven

The term is a modern English compound, fusing the Latin philosophical concept of the 'ego' with the Germanic verb 'drive'. 'Ego', entering English in the early 19th century from Latin where it simply meant "I", was popularized by Freudian psychology to denote the conscious self. 'Driven', from Old English drīfan, carries the ancient sense of being propelled forward by an external or internal force. Combined, the term literally means "propelled by the self", creating a vivid metaphor for behavior primarily motivated by personal ambition, pride, or self-interest, rather than by external principles or the needs of others.

Structure: ego (self) + driven (propelled) - ego: Latin origin, meaning "I, self". In this compound, it functions as a noun root denoting the self. - driven: Old English origin, from drīfan meaning "to force, push, propel". In this compound, it is the past participle of the verb 'drive', functioning as an adjective meaning "propelled or motivated by".