ENGLISH
REFERENCE

solipsism

n.
C2 Proficiency Oxford UK //sˈɒlɪpsˌɪzəm// solip·sism Humorous

n. the idea that only your own mind is real and you cannot be sure that anyone else exists. You can use it as a joke about someone who only thinks about themselves.

n. the philosophical theory that the self is the only entity that can be known to exist. Metaphorically used to describe extreme self-centredness.


SIMPLE

Dealing with his solipsism makes having a real conversation almost impossible.

CONTEXTUAL

She joked that the driver's solipsism must be total if he thinks he owns the entire road.

COMPLEX

The protagonist's spiral into absolute solipsism leads him to treat his oldest friends as mere figments of his imagination, ultimately severing his final connections to the objective world.

Origin

From Latin sōlus (“alone”) + ipse (“self”) + -ism.

Usage

often used as a noun, uncountable

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