egotist
UK[ˈiːɡəʊtɪst]US[ˈiːɡoʊtɪst]
n
a person who is excessively self-centered and talks about themselves too much.
n
an adherent of the philosophical belief that self-interest is the foundation of morality.
Morpheme Breakdown
ego
ist
ego
i, self
ist
one who does or believes
Etymology
the word 'egotist' is a modern english formation, directly combining the latin pronoun 'ego' (i, self) with the agent suffix '-ist'. the latin 'ego' itself descends from the proto-indo-european root éǵh₂, éǵhom, which is the source of the first-person singular pronoun across many indo-european languages. the suffix '-ist' entered english via latin from greek, denoting a person associated with a practice or doctrine. therefore, an 'egotist' literally translates to 'one who is focused on the i', a construction that perfectly captures the modern meaning of a self-obsessed individual or a proponent of self-interest as a principle.
Analysis
Structure: ego (i, self) + ist (one who does or believes)
ego: from latin 'ego' meaning 'i, self'. functions as the root, denoting the self.
ist: from greek '-istes', via latin '-ista', a suffix forming agent nouns meaning 'one who practices or believes in'.
Examples
he was such an egotist that every conversation eventually turned back to his accomplishments.
the philosopher was labeled an egotist for his theory that all actions are fundamentally self-serving.
her reputation as an egotist made it difficult for her to maintain collaborative relationships.