alter ego

noun

plural alter egos
1
: a second self or different version of oneself: such as
a
: a trusted friend
b
: the opposite side of a personality
Clark Kent and his alter ego Superman
c
: counterpart sense 3
a fictional character that is the author's alter ego
2
law : a person or entity vicariously liable for another (such as an agent)
… because the Cuban bank had not physically participated in the expropriation, it could not be considered an alter ego of the Government in the context of the Citibank case.The New York Times

Did you know?

In Latin, alter ego literally means "second I". An alter ego can be thought of as a person's clone or second self. A professional alter ego might be a trusted aide who knows exactly what the boss wants done. A personal alter ego might be a close friend who is almost like a twin. Alter ego can also refer to the second, hidden side of one's own self. In Robert Louis Stevenson's classic The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll is a good-hearted, honorable man; but after taking a potion, his alter ego, the loathsome and diabolical Mr. Hyde, takes over his personality.

Examples of alter ego in a Sentence

a trusted adviser who is the President's alter ego over the years the state's other senator became his alter ego as well as his political ally
Recent Examples on the Web In a desperate bid to hold Silvie’s attention, Amato reinvented himself online, crafting a confident, big spender alter ego by stealing $200,000 from his family in the months leading up to the murders. Addie Morfoot, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024 Los Angeles can also take a side trip to see some of the locations where Agent Dale Cooper, in the form of his amnesiac alter ego Dougie Jones, slowly regains his strength and memory after decades in the Black Lodge on Twin Peaks: The Return. Katie Rife, EW.com, 16 Mar. 2024 Followers may be more familiar with her alter ego, Accidental Icon, but Lyn Slater’s credentials go far beyond being fashionable. Mercedes Bleth, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Mar. 2024 Idina Menzel is celebrating her alter ego's 10th birthday! Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024 Most feature self-portraits, often accompanied by Shaw’s late Jack Russell terrier, Mr. C, or by an alter ego (a wolf-man wearing a blue kimono). Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 Having an alter ego gives you the freedom to take risks and try new things without the fear of judgment. Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024 Corto was the fictional alter ego of its creator, Italian artist and globe wanderer Hugo Pratt, whose elegant drawings and watercolor work are dreamy and evocative. Ernesto Lechner, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024 Minutes after finishing with exactly 2,000 points last week in a win against Olympian, Wilson addressed her alter ego, altering from a quiet kid to menacing Mahliya. Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alter ego.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin alter egō "close friend," literally "other I," perhaps as translation of Greek állos egṓ, héteros egṓ

Note: Cf. M. Tullius cicero, Letters to Atticus 3.15.4.: "… me enim ipsum multo magis accuso, deinde te quasi me alterum et simul meae culpae socium quaero." ("I am reproaching myself far more than you, and if I do reproach you it is as my alter ego; also I am looking for someone to share the blame" - translation by D. R. Shackleton Bailey.)

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alter ego was in 1537

Dictionary Entries Near alter ego

Cite this Entry

“Alter ego.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alter%20ego. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

alter ego

noun
al·​ter ego ˌȯl-tər-ˈē-gō How to pronounce alter ego (audio)
1
: a trusted friend or personal representative
2
: the opposite side of a personality

Legal Definition

alter ego

noun
al·​ter ego ˈȯl-tər-ˈē-gō How to pronounce alter ego (audio)
: second self
especially : a person or entity vicariously liable for another (as an agent)
had the officer been the alter ego of the corporation J. J. White and R. S. Summers
compare instrumentality

Note: The concept of a legal alter ego is used primarily to hold the controlling parties of a corporation personally liable instead of limiting liability to the corporate entity.

Etymology

Latin, literally, second I

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