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
nounFrom the M-W Editors
1649
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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