selfish

B1 Topic:Describing People

US /ˈsɛlf.ɪʃ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like shellfish /s/ vs /ʃ/

Freq #3001

Meanings

1

adj
caring only about yourself and not about other people

It was selfish of him to take the last seat.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · caring only about yourself... egoisticself-centeredgreedy

More egocentric egoisticalidiocentricindividualistic interested porkish reptilianself-absorbedself-interestedself-mindedself-seeking

Opposites

self-abnegatory

Word family

Forms selfishly

Derived forms hyperselfishoverselfishselfishlyselfishnesssuperselfishultraselfishunselfishly

Related forms self-servingselfishness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

selfish person
someone who gives excessive priority to their own interests over others' needs

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From self + -ish. Compare Danish selvisk (“selfish”), Swedish självisk (“selfish”).

Topics

Describing People

External links

# selfish

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɛlf.ɪʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 3001

## Meanings
1. caring only about yourself and not about other people

## Examples
- It was selfish of him to take the last seat.

## Synonyms
- egocentric
- egoistical
- idiocentric
- individualistic
- interested
- porkish
- reptilian
- self-absorbed
- self-centered
- self-interested
- self-minded
- self-seeking

## Antonyms
- self-abnegatory

## Derived Forms
- hyperselfish
- overselfish
- selfishly
- selfishness
- superselfish
- ultraselfish
- unselfishly

## Related Forms
- self-serving
- selfishness

## Roots and Affixes
- Affix: -ish - somewhat

## Etymology
From self + -ish. Compare Danish selvisk (“selfish”), Swedish självisk (“selfish”).

## AI Etymology
Selfish is from self + -ish. Compare Danish selvisk (“selfish”), Swedish självisk (“selfish”). In current use it includes the sense caring only about yourself and not about other people.

## Topics
- Describing People

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