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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

selfishness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈsɛl.fɪʃ.nəs/

Etymology

Etymology tree English selfish Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English selfishness From selfish + -ness.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) The quality of being selfish, the condition of putting one's own interests before those of others.
    • This common faith or set of aspirations, he added, could also help Americans transcend their selfishnesses and follies and promote a world civil religion given to justice and hope. 1988 March 5, Martin E. Marty, “FRONT-PAGE RELIGION”, in The New York Times:
    • And he knows that Patrick can afford to complain about his mother’s minor selfishness but he cannot afford to engage with the idea of his own father at all. 2014 February 17, Dan Callahan, “Looking Recap: Versatility”, in Vulture:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
selfishnesses Number=Plur lexicographic

Antonyms

selflessness · self-abnegation · selflessness

Coordinates

greed

Deriveds

rational selfishness

Hypernyms

egotism · excessiveness · immorality

Hyponyms

Cyrenaicism · Epicureanism · hedonism

Relateds

autocentrism · selfish · self-interest

Synonyms

selfishness · egoism · self-interestedness · philauty · me-firstism · me-firstism · egomism · self-absorption · interestedness · egocentricity · self-servingness · self-centeredness · hoggery · self-obsession · solipsism · egocentricity · suicism · self-centeredness · porkishness · selfhood

Translations (44)

ca egoisme (quality of being selfish) · pt egoísmo (quality of being selfish) · ta சுயநலம் (quality of being selfish) · ia egoismo (quality of being selfish) · eo memcentreco (quality of being selfish) · tr hodbinlik (quality of being selfish) · cs sobeckost (quality of being selfish) · eo egoismo (quality of being selfish) · nl eigenheid (quality of being selfish) · fi itsekeskeisyys (quality of being selfish) · ta தன்னலம் (quality of being selfish) · el εγωισμός (quality of being selfish) · lad egoismo (quality of being selfish) · pl samolubstwo (quality of being selfish) · de Selbstsucht (quality of being selfish) · es egoísmo (quality of being selfish) · mk себичност (quality of being selfish) · nl zelfheid (quality of being selfish) · ml സ്വാർത്ഥത (quality of being selfish) · lt savanaudiškumas (quality of being selfish) · ko 이기심 (quality of being selfish) · bg себичност (quality of being selfish) · ar أَنَانِيَّة (quality of being selfish) · eo memismo (quality of being selfish) · ga leithleachas (quality of being selfish) · fr égocentrisme (quality of being selfish) · tr egoistlik (quality of being selfish) · pl samolubność (quality of being selfish) · de Egoismus (quality of being selfish) · it egoismo (quality of being selfish) · he אנוכיות (quality of being selfish) · yi עגאָיִזם (quality of being selfish) · io egoismo (quality of being selfish) · cy hunanoldeb (quality of being selfish) · pl egoizm (quality of being selfish) · ro egoism (quality of being selfish) · fi itsekkyys (quality of being selfish) · ru эгои́зм (quality of being selfish) · fr égoïsme (quality of being selfish) · tr bencillik (quality of being selfish) · ckb خۆپەسەندی (quality of being selfish) · bn স্বার্থপরতা (quality of being selfish) · ru себялю́бие (quality of being selfish) · mi kaipuku (quality of being selfish)