Definition

Noun: 1. A second self; a very close and trusted friend who seems almost a part of yourself: An alter ego is a person's secondary or alternative personality or character, often one that is very different from their usual self. In common usage, it refers to an intimate friend who understands you so well they feel like another version of you. 2. A fictional character representing the author: In literature, an alter ego is a character who represents the author's hidden self or embodies their thoughts and feelings.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Close Friend):
  • My sister is my alter ego; we share all our secrets and think alike.
  • He trusted his alter ego with all his business decisions.
• Noun (Alternative Personality/Character):
  • The shy clerk led a secret life as a stand-up comedian, his bold stage persona being his alter ego.
  • The novelist's famous detective is widely considered to be the author's alter ego.

Advanced Usage

• In Psychology: Refers to a distinct secondary personality within the same individual.
  • The therapist explored the possibility that the aggressive behavior was an expression of a repressed alter ego.
• In Fiction and Popular Culture: Often used for a superhero's secret identity or a performer's stage persona.
  • Clark Kent is Superman's alter ego.

Variants and Related Words

• Other self: A phrase with a very similar meaning to "alter ego."
• Doppelgänger: A German loanword meaning a double or look-alike of a person, which can sometimes overlap with the concept of an alter ego but typically refers to physical resemblance.

Synonyms

• Confidant: A person with whom one shares a secret or private matter.
• Bosom friend: A very close or intimate friend.
• Second self: A direct synonym emphasizing the similarity.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Kindred spirit: A person whose interests or attitudes are similar to one's own. (This shares the feeling of deep connection but not necessarily the aspect of an alternative personality.)
  • When we met, we instantly knew we were kindred spirits.

Noun

1. a very close and trusted friend who seems almost a part of yourself