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superego
noun
su·per·ego
ˌsü-pər-?ē-(ˌ)gō
also
-?e-(ˌ)gō Examples of superego in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At some point Jeremy decided to set fire to the ol’ superego and put away several shots served in neon plastic shot glasses, encouraging us to do the same.
—Ellyn Gaydos, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2024
By the middle of 2017 my id wanted nothing to do with her superego.
—Lizzie Hyman, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2024
Challenging Freud's Superego Concept Freud’s concept of the superego is one theory that current neurological research doesn't support.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2023
Understanding the Superego Around the age of six, Freud theorized that a person’s superego began to form.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2023
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Word History
Etymology
New Latin, translation of German Über-ich, from über over + ich I
First Known Use
1908, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Superego.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superego. Accessed 1 Jan. 2025.
Medical Definition
superego
noun
su·per·ego
ˌsü-pər-?ē-(ˌ)gō also ?sü-pər-ˌ, -?eg-(ˌ)ō
: the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that is only partly conscious, represents internalization of parental conscience and the rules of society, and functions to reward and punish through a system of moral attitudes, conscience, and a sense of guilt compare ego, id entry 1
More from Merriam-Webster on superego
Britannica English: Translation of superego for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about superego
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