adj
selfish
SEHLF-ihsh
adj
1
Caring mainly about one's own wants and needs, with little concern for other people.
"It was selfish of him to take the last seat without asking."
"She accused her brother of being selfish with the inheritance."
How to Use Selfish
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPutting your own interests first, at the expense of others.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
selfish behavior
purely selfish
a selfish act
Word Forms
more selfish comparative, selfisher comparative, most selfish superlative, selfishest superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “selfish”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
It was _____ of him to take the last seat without asking.
Etymology
Formed from self plus -ish.