A person who is excessively self-centered and obsessed with themselves, believing they are superior to others.
From 'ego' (Latin for 'I' or 'self') combined with 'maniac' (from Greek 'mania' meaning obsession or madness). The term emerged in the late 1800s to describe pathological self-absorption.
Egomania differs from ordinary narcissism—it's an obsessive fixation on the self that can cross into delusion, and neuroscience suggests it may involve reduced activity in brain regions responsible for empathy, literally making it harder for egomaniacs to understand others' perspectives.
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