English · Word Candidate

selfish

/ˈsɛlf.ɪʃ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: selfisher · selfishest

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Đặt lợi ích của bản thân làm tiêu chuẩn quyết định

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

“We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit. In this sense, every human has a sort of ‘split personality’. We are all kind of what you call ‘schitzy’ with these two sides, these two people living within us. And they are in total opposition. The

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Having excessive or exclusive regard and concern for one's own well-being, profit or pleasure, with little or no consideration for others.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Có sự quan tâm quá mức đến lợi ích, lợi nhuận hoặc niềm vui của bản thân

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

Take warning by my fate, and shun that flowery and bewitching path; for in its labyrinths the good, the gentle, the kind-hearted, and the benevolent, are too often lost; while the sordid and the selfish scarcely so much as run a hazard.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “selfish” mean?

Holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.

Is “selfish” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.