Definition of self–interest
1 : a concern for one's own advantage and well-being acted out of self–interest and fear
2 : one's own interest or advantage self–interest requires that we be generous in foreign aid
self–interested
adjectiveself–interestedly
adverbself–interestedness
nounPeople Are Reading
First Known Use of self–interest
1649
SELF–INTEREST Defined for English Language Learners
self-interest
playDefinition of self–interest for English Language Learners
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: concern only for getting what you want or need and not about what happens to other people
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: your own interest or advantage
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See words that rhyme with self–interest Spanish Central: Translation of self–interest
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