self

Self is defined as the total being of a person, awareness of the individual or qualities of the individual.

(noun)

  1. An example of a self is one person.
  2. An example of self is the individuality of a person.
  3. An example of self is a quality that one sibling has that the others don't have.

Self is an informal word used to replace myself, himself, herself and yourself.

(pronoun)

An example of self used as a pronoun is, "I will do the project with self and my brother."

The definition of self is of the same material or color.

(adjective)

An example of self used as an adjective is the phrase a "self scarf" which means a scarf made of the same material as the shirt.

YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2013 by LoveToKnow Corp.

See self in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. selves

  1. the identity, character, or essential qualities of any person or thing
  2. one's own person as distinct from all others
  3. one's own welfare, interest, or advantage; selfishness: obsessed with self

Origin: ME < OE, prob. < IE *selo- < base *se-, refl. pron., orig. separate, apart (> L sibi, se) + *(o)lo-, pron. suffix: basic sense “itself, by itself”

pronoun

Informal myself, himself, herself, or yourself: tickets for self and wife

adjective

  1. being uniform or the same throughout
  2. of the same kind, nature, color, material, etc. as the rest: a self lining, self trim

  1. of oneself or itself: refers to the direct object of the implied transitive verb: self-love, self-restraint
  2. by oneself or itself: refers to the subject of the implied verb: self-acting
  3. in, within, or inherent in oneself or itself: self-absorption, self-evident
  4. to, for, or with oneself: often refers to the indirect object of the implied transitive verb: self-addressed
  5. automatic: self-loading
  6. of the same material throughout: self-belted

Origin: ME < OE < self: see self

See self in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. selves selves (sĕlvz)
  1. The total, essential, or particular being of a person; the individual: “An actor's instrument is the self” (Joan Juliet Buck).
  2. The essential qualities distinguishing one person from another; individuality: “He would walk a little first along the southern walls, shed his European self, fully enter this world” (Howard Kaplan).
  3. One's consciousness of one's own being or identity; the ego: “For some of us, the self's natural doubts are given in mesmerizing amplification by way of critics' negative assessments of our writing” (Joyce Carol Oates).
  4. One's own interests, welfare, or advantage: thinking of self alone.
  5. Immunology That which the immune system identifies as belonging to the body: tissues no longer recognized as self.
pron.
Myself, yourself, himself, or herself: a living wage for self and family.
adjective
  1. Of the same character throughout.
  2. Of the same material as the article with which it is used: a dress with a self belt.
  3. Obsolete Same or identical.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English, selfsame

Origin: , from Old English; see s(w)e- in Indo-European roots

.

prefix
  1. Oneself; itself: self-control.
  2. Automatic; automatically: self-loading.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English

Origin: , from self, self; see self

.

See self in Ologies

Self

See also psychology.

autodidactics

the process of teaching oneself. —autodidact, n.

autolatry

the worship of oneself.

autology

the study of oneself.

automania

an excessive liking for solitude.

autophilia

a kind of self-love; narcissism. —autophile, n. —autophilic, adj.

autophobia, autophoby

an abnormal fear of being by oneself. Also called eremiophobia, eremophobia, monophobia.

autoplagiarism

the act or process of plagiarizing one’s own work.

biosophy

a mode of life based on intuition and self-education in order to improve one’s character. —biosophist, n.

egocentricity

the state of being self-centered; greater concern about the self than others to an excessive degree. —egocentric, n., adj.

egocentrism

1. the philosophy or attitude of considering oneself the center of the universe.

2. the state or quality of being self-centered. —egocentric, n., adj.

egoism

an extreme individualism; thought and behavior based upon the premise that one’s individual self is the highest product, if not the totality, of existence. Cf. individualism. —egoist, n. —egoistic, adj.

egomania

a psychologically abnormal egotism. — egomaniac, n.

egotheism

a deification of self.

egotism

the practice of thought, speech, and conduct expressing high self-regard or self-exaltation, usually without skepticism or humility. —egotist, n. —egotistical, adj.

eremiophobia, eremophobia

autophobia.

eremitism

1. the state of being a hermit.

2. an attitude favoring solitude and seclusion. —eremite, n. —eremitic, adj.

extraversion, extroversion

Psychology.

1. the act of directing one’s interest outward or to things outside the self.

2. the state of having thoughts and activities satisfied by things outside the self. Cf. introversion. —extravert, n. —extraversive, extravertive, adj.

factionalism

the state or quality of being partisan or self-interested. —factional, adj. —factionalist, n.

individualism

the practice of independence in thought and action on the premise that the development and expression of an individual character and personality are of the utmost importance. Cf. egoism. —individualist, n. —individualistic, adj.

individuation

the act or process of becoming an individual or distinct entity.

introversion Psychology.

1. the act of directing one’s interest inward or toward the self.

2. the state of being interested chiefly in one’s own inner thoughts, feelings, and processes. Cf. extraversion. —introvert, n. —introvertive, introversive, adj.

ipse-dixitism

a dictatorial atmosphere brought about by a person’s demands based solely on his having uttered them.

ipsism

an individual identity; selfhood. Also ipseity.

monologue

a theatrical performance or scene with a single actor who speaks alone.

monology

1. the habit of talking to oneself; soliloquizing.

2. Obsolete a monologue. —monologist, n. —monologic, monological, adj.

monophobia

autophobia.

narcissism

an excessive admiration of oneself. Also narcism. —narcissist, narcist n. —narcissistic, narcistic, adj.

nosism

Archaic. the use of we in speaking of oneself.

personalism

the individual or personal characteristics of a person or object. —personalist, n. —personalistic, adj.

philauty

Obsolete, self love; an excessive regard for oneself.

reclusion

the state of living apart from society, like a hermit. —recluse, n. —reclusive, adj.

seclusionist

a person who seeks solitude or removes himself from the society of others; a recluse.

selfism

the obsessive concentration on one’s self-interests. —selfist, n.

soliloquy

1. the act or custom of talking to oneself or talking when alone.

2. Drama, a speech in which a character reveals his thoughts to the audience but not to other characters in the play. —soliloquist, n.

suicide

1. the killing of oneself.

2. a person who has killed himself. —suicidal, adj.

vitativeness

Phrenology. the organ serving as the seat of instincts of self-preservation.

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