solipsism means the idea that the self is all that exists or that can be proven to exist. It carries an Arena rating of 1739, earned across 13 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, solipsism ranks #134 of 42,762 for Qualifying, #373 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #622 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #942 of 17,131 for Scariest Words.
solipsism is pronounced /ˈsɒlɪpsɪzəm/.
Why “solipsism” is a great word
The philosophical theory that only one's own mind is certain to exist, or, more generally, extreme self-absorption. From Latin sōlus ("alone") + ipse ("self") + -ism (denoting a theory or condition); first known use 1836. Unlike "narcissism," which concerns self-love and vanity, or "solitude," which denotes a state of being alone, solipsism is the quiet, unbreachable conviction that no other consciousness can be verified. It is the city dweller who experiences crowds as weather, the hotel guest who never notices the chambermaid, the philosopher staring at his hand, unable to prove the sunlit window is anything but a private hallucination. It is loneliness so absolute it has forgotten it is lonely.
Etymology
From Latin sōlus (“alone”) + ipse (“self”) + -ism.
noun
- The idea that the self is all that exists or that can be proven to exist.
- Self-absorption, an unawareness of the views, needs or desires of others; self-centeredness; egoism.e.g.“The solipsism that too frequently infects high commands has no place on a battlefield.” — 2011, Bing West, No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah:
- Self-absorption, an unawareness of the views, needs or desires of others; self-centeredness; egoism.; Masturbation.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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