selfish

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self·ish

(sĕl′fĭsh)

adj.

1. Concerned chiefly or excessively with oneself, and having little regard for others: a selfish child who wouldn't share toys.

2. Showing or arising from an excessive concern with oneself and a lack of concern for others: a selfish whim.

self′ish·ly adv.

self′ish·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

selfish

(ˈsɛlfɪʃ)

adj

1. chiefly concerned with one's own interest, advantage, etc, esp to the total exclusion of the interests of others

2. relating to or characterized by self-interest

ˈselfishly adv

ˈselfishness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

self•ish

(ˈsɛl fɪʃ)

adj.

1. caring only or chiefly for oneself; concerned with one's own interests, welfare, etc., regardless of others.

2. characterized by or manifesting concern or care only for oneself: selfish motives.

[1630–40]

self′ish•ly, adv.

self′ish•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.

selfish - concerned chiefly or only with yourself and your advantage to the exclusion of others; "Selfish men were...trying to make capital for themselves out of the sacred cause of civil rights"- Maria Weston Chapman

egocentric, egoistic, egoistical, self-centered, self-centred - limited to or caring only about yourself and your own needs

inconsiderate - lacking regard for the rights or feelings of others; "shockingly inconsiderate behavior"

stingy, ungenerous - unwilling to spend; "she practices economy without being stingy"; "an ungenerous response to the appeal for funds"

unselfish - disregarding your own advantages and welfare over those of others

selfish

adjective self-centred, self-interested, greedy, mercenary, self-seeking, ungenerous, egoistic or egoistical, egotistic or egoistical, looking out for number one (informal) the selfish interests of a few people
generous, considerate, selfless, benevolent, altruistic, self-sacrificing, philanthropic, unselfish, magnanimous, self-denying, ungrudging

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

selfish

adjective

Concerned only with oneself:

egocentric, egoistic, egoistical, egomaniacal, egotistic, egotistical, self-absorbed, self-centered, self-involved, self-seeking, self-serving.

Idiom: wrapped up in oneself.

Translations

أنانيأَنَانِيّ

sobecký

egoistiskselvisk

egoistisch selbstsüchtig

εγωιστής

egoísta interesado

itsekäsitsekeskeinen

égoïste

sebičan

egoistaönző

egoista

利己的な自分本位の身勝手なわがままな

이기적인

sebičen

självisk

เห็นแก่ตัว

bencil egoist

ích kỷ

自私的

selfish

[ˈselfɪʃ] ADJ → egoísta

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

selfish

[ˈsɛlfɪʃ] adj → égoïste
Don't be so selfish → Ne sois pas si égoïste.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

selfish

adj → egoistisch, selbstsüchtig; for selfish reasons → aus selbstsüchtigen Gründen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

selfish

[ˈsɛlfɪʃ] adj → egoista

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

self

(self) – plural selves (selvz) – noun

1. a person's own body and personality.

2. one's own personal interests or advantage. He always thinks first of self.

ˈselfish adjective

(negative unselfish) thinking of one's own pleasure or good and not considering other people. a selfish person/attitude.

ˈselfishly adverb

ˈselfishness noun

ˈselfless adjective

utterly unselfish. As a soldier, he showed selfless devotion to duty.

ˈselflessly adverb

ˈselflessness noun

selfish

→ أَنَانِيّ sobecký selvisk egoistisch εγωιστής egoísta itsekäs égoïste sebičan egoista 利己的な 이기적인 egoïstisch egoistisk samolubny egoísta эгоистичный självisk เห็นแก่ตัว bencil ích kỷ 自私的

selfish

a. egoísta.

References in classic literature ?

A more selfish man than I am might hold you to that engagement; a less considerate man than I am might keep you waiting for years -- and to no purpose after all.

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Selfish, indeed, were he who would envy you one petal of that wonderful rose--Rosa Mundi--God has given you to gather.

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"You are a selfish brute, and you do just as you like without considering anyone else.

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But when an unkind word is on your lips, when a selfish, angry feeling rises in your heart, or an unkind, cruel deed is to be done, then will you hear the soft, low chime of the flower-bell; listen to its warning, let the word remain unspoken, the deed undone, and in the quiet joy of your own heart, and the magic perfume of your bosom flower, you will find a sweet reward."

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"Well, now, there's Mammy," said Marie, "I think it's selfish of her to sleep so sound nights; she knows I need little attentions almost every hour, when my worst turns are on, and yet she's so hard to wake.

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It is hard that my little darling should love him more than me; and that, when the well-being and culture of my son is all I have to live for, I should see my influence destroyed by one whose selfish affection is more injurious than the coldest indifference or the harshest tyranny could be.

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"I'm not selfish." Brissenden grinned soberly in the way he had when pleased by the thing his thin lips were about to shape.

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It was incomprehensible that she should care so much for a man who was so indifferent, so selfish, so grossly self-indulgent; and he divined dimly that in her heart she knew his indifference and his selfishness, knew them and loved him humbly all the same.

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"I'm not as selfish as you, because I'm always ill, and I'm sure there is a lump coming on my back," he said.

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Only in the garden of the Selfish Giant it was still winter.

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"The average man IS selfish," the Bishop affirmed valiantly.

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But I have no sympathy with the purely selfish pleasure which some men appear to derive from dwelling on the minute anatomy of their own feelings, under the pr essure of adverse fortune.