CultureAugust 16, 2026

solipsistic

sol-ip-SIS-tik

Definition

Relating to the philosophical idea that only one's own mind is sure to exist, used here to describe a persona that seems self-centered or preoccupied with one's own internal world.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'solus' (alone) and 'ipse' (self), the term was coined in the 19th century to describe the philosophical theory that the self is the only reality that can be known.

In the news

The article uses the word to describe Harriet Richardson's stage persona, which deliberately balances self-deprecation with an intentional, self-focused quality that mirrors her obsessive storytelling.

Harriet Richardson: Creep

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