selfish — lacking consideration for other people; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: lacking consideration for other people; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈsɛlfɪʃ/
Example Sentences
- My selfish coworker took credit for my project and didn't even blink.
- The selfish cat ate all the fish and left an empty bowl for its owner's dinner.
- In civil service ethics exams, avoiding selfish behavior is considered a core virtue for public officials.
selfish
ADJECTIVE[/ˈsɛlfɪʃ/]
lacking consideration for other people; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure
He grabbed the last slice, ignoring his selfish move in front of everyone.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Selfish emerged in 17th-century England, coined by Puritan writers to criticize self-centered attitudes. The word combines the Old English 'self' (one's own person) with the suffix '-ish' (having the quality of), originally carrying strong moral disapproval of excessive self-regard.
Breakdown
self (one's own person) + -ish (having the quality or character of). The suffix -ish transforms the noun into an adjective denoting the characteristic or tendency toward the root concept.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My selfish coworker took credit for my project and didn't even blink.”
“The selfish cat ate all the fish and left an empty bowl for its owner's dinner.”
“In civil service ethics exams, avoiding selfish behavior is considered a core virtue for public officials.”
“He selfishly took the last umbrella, leaving his friends to walk home in the rain.”
📚Related Words
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