ego-transcendence
|e-go-trans-cen-dence|
🇺🇸
/ˌiːɡoʊ trænˈsɛndəns/
🇬🇧
/ˌiːɡəʊ trænˈsɛndəns/
going beyond the self
Etymology
'ego-transcendence' originates from Modern English, specifically a compound of 'ego' and 'transcendence', where 'ego' comes from Latin 'ego' meaning 'I', and 'transcendence' comes from Latin 'transcendere' (trans- 'across' + scandere 'to climb').
'transcendere' (Latin) passed into Old/Middle French and Middle English as words like 'transcenden'/'transcenden(t)ion' and eventually became the modern English 'transcend' and 'transcendence'; 'ego' passed directly from Latin into Modern English as a technical term in philosophy and psychology; the compound 'ego-transcendence' is a Modern English formation combining these elements.
Initially the roots referred literally to 'I' (ego) and 'to climb across' (transcendere); over time they combined in philosophical and spiritual language to express the abstract idea of 'going beyond the self', which is the current meaning of 'ego-transcendence'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state, process, or capacity of going beyond or overcoming the ego (one's self-centered identity), often in spiritual, philosophical, or psychological contexts.
Many spiritual traditions aim for ego-transcendence as a path to inner peace.
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Noun 2
a developmental or psychological stage in which an individual loosens identification with the self and adopts broader perspectives or values beyond personal needs.
In some theories of adult development, ego-transcendence appears as a stage of greater concern for others and meaning beyond the self.
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Last updated: 2026/01/08 13:41