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self-interest
[ self-in-trist, -in-ter-ist, self- ]
/ ˌsɛlfˈɪn trɪst, -ˈɪn tər ɪst, ˈsɛlf- /
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noun
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.
personal interest or advantage: It is particularly hard to understand why a group would vote against its own self-interest.
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.
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Origin of self-interest
First recorded in 1640–50
OTHER WORDS FROM self-interest
self-in·ter·est·ed, adjectiveself-in·ter·est·ed·ness, nounWords nearby self-interest
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use self-interest in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for self-interest
self-interest
noun
one's personal interest or advantage
the act or an instance of pursuing one's own interest
Derived forms of self-interest
self-interested, adjectiveself-interestedness, nounCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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