ego-involved
UK[ˈiːɡəʊ ɪnˈvɒlvd]US[ˈiːɡoʊ ɪnˈvɑːlvd]
adj
Deeply concerned with or affected by something because it is connected to one's self-esteem or self-image.
adj
Having one's ego or personal feelings engaged in a situation, often leading to biased or emotional reactions.
Morpheme Breakdown
ego
involved
ego
self
involved
engaged
Etymology
The term is a modern psychological compound, first emerging in the mid-20th century. Its first element, 'ego', is the Latin word for "I", adopted directly into English to represent the conscious self, particularly in psychoanalytic theory. The second element, 'involved', originates from the Latin verb 'involvere', meaning to roll in or envelop, which evolved to signify deep engagement or entanglement. The compound 'ego-involved' thus logically constructs the concept of a situation where one's core sense of self is enveloped or entangled, leading to a state of personal investment where outcomes are perceived as directly affecting self-worth.
Analysis
Structure: ego (self) + involved (engaged)
- ego: From Latin 'ego', meaning "I, self". In English, it functions as a combining form denoting the self or the conscious thinking subject.
- involved: From Latin 'involvere' (to roll into, envelop), via past participle 'involutus'. In English, it functions as an adjective meaning "connected, engaged, or implicated".
Examples
He was too ego-involved in the project to accept constructive criticism objectively.
Judges must remain impartial and not become ego-involved in the cases they oversee.
Her ego-involved attitude made the debate more personal than professional.