superego
1 synonym for superego, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The part of the mind that acts as a self-critical conscience, reflecting the social standards a person has learnt.
How to use superego
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a strong superego
a weak superego
the demands of the superego
id, ego and superego
It's a technical term from psychoanalysis rather than everyday conversation.
Etymology
Superego is built from super plus ego, and was originally written super-ego. It was formed as a calque of the German Über-Ich, itself made from über- meaning 'super' and Ich, meaning 'I' or ego.
Full origin of superego →Frequently asked questions
What is the superego in psychology?
It is the part of the mind that judges and criticises you according to social standards you have absorbed while growing up.
Where does the word superego come from?
It was formed to match the German Über-Ich, combining über- ('super') with Ich, the word for 'I' or ego.
What does the superego actually do?
It works as an internal, self-critical conscience, measuring your behaviour against the standards you have learnt.
