If the statement of Addison (quot. 1714) can be trusted, the word seems to have been invented by some of the Port-Royalists to range with the terms of rhetoric denoting ‘figures of speech’ and the like. (In accordance with this, Lord Chesterfield speaks of ‘the egotism’ as one might say ‘the aposiopesis,’ ‘the chiasmus.’) It seems probable that egotism was formed on the pattern of some older word in -otism; cf. for example Fr. idiotisme.]
1. The obtrusive or too frequent use of the pronoun of the first person singular: hence the practice of talking about oneself or one’s doings.
1714. Addison, Spect., No. 562, ¶ 3. The Gentlemen of Port-Royal … branded this Form of Writing [in the First Person] with the Name of an Egotism.
1747. Chesterf., Lett., I. cxxix. 344. Banish the egotism out of your conversation. Ibid. (17[?]), II. 238. Though I do not recommend the egotism to you with regard to any body else, I desire that you will use it with me.
1753. Hanway, Trav. (1762), I. Introd. 16. The nature of journals renders egotisms unavoidable.
1775. Mason, Mem. Gray, Poems 173. The Reader, I hope, will excuse this short piece of egotism, as it is written to express my gratitude.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxx. 407. I should be glad go escape the egotism of personal narrative by giving it in his own words.
2. The vice of thinking too much of oneself; self-conceit, boastfulness; also, selfishness.
1800. Med. Jrnl., IV. 503. My readers will pardon any appearance of egotism … since it is not easy to talk of oneself without giving offence.
1830. Coleridge, Lect. Shaks., II. 116. The intense selfishness, the alcohol of egotism, which would rather reign in hell than serve in heaven.
1847. Emerson, Repr. Men, Napoleon, Wks. (Bohn), I. 381. His absorbing egotism was deadly to all other men.
1853. Robertson, Serm., Ser. III. vii. 101. Sin is the withdrawing into self and egotism out of the vivifying life of God.
1858. Greener, Gunnery, 232. Without egotism, I can safely offer to make a gun or guns against any maker in the world.
1878. Lecky, Eng. in 18th C., II. vii. 257. An intense class and national egotism then dominated all politics.
