self-interest

[self-in-trist, self-, -in-ter-ist]

noun

1. regard for one's own interest or advantage, especially with disregard for others.

   He appears to be motivated solely by self-interest, greed, and an insatiable hunger for self-aggrandizement.

2. personal interest or advantage.

   It is particularly hard to understand why a group would vote against its own self-interest.

3. Economics.,  the doctrine that acting to one’s own benefit or advantage can also result in a benefit for society at large.

   Adam Smith believed that individuals pursuing rational self-interest would create wealth through efficient production and competition.

self-interest

noun

1. one's personal interest or advantage

2. the act or an instance of pursuing one's own interest

Other Word Forms

• self-interested adjective
• self-interestedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-interest¹

First recorded in 1640–50

Example Sentences

"At the end of the day, given certain circumstances and under certain pressures, altruism will thin and self-interest surfaces."

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But they are also works that make us look inside ourselves, discover what matters beyond self-interest.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

An authentic Christian life therefore should no longer focus on self-interest.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The vice president is especially ham-fisted, but the tactic of using racism to persuade white voters to reject their economic self-interest is hardly new in Republican politics.

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“Maybe the Constitution should have said, ‘Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, except in one’s political or financial self-interest.’”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arrogance 
• egotism 
• narcissism 
• self-confidence 
• selfishness