English · Idiom Historical

one's second self

Q: What does “one's second self” mean?

His alter ego (<?.v.); one whose tastes, opinions, habits, etc., correspond so entirely with one's own that there is practi- cally no distinction.

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

His alter ego (<?.v.); one whose tastes, opinions, habits, etc., correspond so entirely with one's own that there is practi- cally no distinction.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “one's second self” mean?

His alter ego (<?.v.); one whose tastes, opinions, habits, etc., correspond so entirely with one's own that there is practi- cally no distinction.

Is “one's second self” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.