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self
1[ self ]
noun
- a person or thing referred to with respect to complete individuality:
one's own self.
- a person's nature, character, etc.:
his better self.
- personal interest.
- Philosophy.
- the ego; that which knows, remembers, desires, suffers, etc., as contrasted with that known, remembered, etc.
- the uniting principle, as a soul, underlying all subjective experience.
adjective
pronoun
- myself, himself, herself, etc.:
to make a check payable to self.
verb (used with or without object)
- to self-pollinate.
self-
2- a combining form of self and variously used with the meanings “of the self ” ( self-analysis ) and “by oneself or itself ” ( self-appointed ); and with the meanings “to, with, toward, for, on, in oneself ” ( self-complacent ), “inherent in oneself or itself ” ( self-explanatory ), “independent” ( self-government ), and “automatic” ( self-operating ).
self-
1combining_form
- of oneself or itself
self-defence
self-rule
- by, to, in, due to, for, or from the self
self-respect
self-inflicted
self-employed
- automatic or automatically
self-propelled
self
2/ sɛlf /
noun
- the distinct individuality or identity of a person or thing
- a person's usual or typical bodily make-up or personal characteristics
she looked her old self again
- good self rare.good selfgood selves a polite way of referring to or addressing a person (or persons), used following your, his, her, or their
- one's own welfare or interests
he only thinks of self
- an individual's consciousness of his own identity or being
- the selfthe self philosophy that which is essential to an individual, esp the mind or soul in Cartesian metaphysics; the ego
- a bird, animal, etc, that is a single colour throughout, esp a self-coloured pigeon
pronoun
- not_standard.myself, yourself, etc
seats for self and wife
adjective
- See self-colouredof the same colour or material See also self-coloured
a dress with a self belt
- obsolete.the same
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Word History and Origins
Origin of self1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of self1
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Example Sentences
We see detoxing as a path to transcendence, a symbol of modern urban virtue and self-transformation through abstinence.
Stephanie Giorgio, a classical musician, credits The Class for helping her cope with anxiety, focus, fear, and self-doubt.
For someone with anorexia, self-starvation makes them feel better.
I went into the audition as Fericito, the Venezuelan percussionist, and then I did a self-defense expert.
Those who come to the Dinner Party are self-selecting; they do want to talk about it.
Let the thought of self pass in, and the beauty of great action is gone, like the bloom from a soiled flower.
Now this setting up of an orderly law-abiding self seems to me to imply that there are impulses which make for order.
At present, Louis was too self-absorbed by the struggles within him, to look deep into what was passing around him.
But to wave this discourse of Heathens, how many self-contradicting principles are there held among Christians?
Jean grinned and dribbled self-consciously, and showed his two little teeth to the proudest father in the world.
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Related Words
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Words That Use self-
What does self- mean?
Self– is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “self,” in a variety of senses. Often, it is used to mean “of the self,” “independent,” or “automatic.” In many instances, it is separated from the second element with a hyphen, as in self-government. It is often used in a variety of everyday and technical terms.
Self– comes from Old English self, meaning “self.”
Examples of self-
One example of a term that you have likely encountered that features the form self– is selfish, “devoted to or caring only for oneself.”
We know self– means “self,” and the –ish portion of the word means “inclined or tending to,” from Old English –isc. Selfish literally means to “inclined or tending to the self.”
What are some words that use the combining form self-?
- self-care
- selfdom
- self-help
- selfless
- selfsame (using the equivalent form of self– in Middle English)
What are some other forms that self– may be commonly confused with?
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