self

play

pronoun \ˈself, Southern also ˈsef\

Definition of self

: myself, himself, herself a check payable to self

Origin and Etymology of self

Middle English (intensive pronoun), from Old English; akin to Old High German selb, intensive pronoun, and probably to Latin suus one's own — more at suicide

NEW!

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

self

adjective

Definition of self

1 obsolete : identical, same
2 obsolete : belonging to oneself : own
3a : having a single character or quality throughout; specifically : having one color only a self flowerb : of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used self trimming

Examples of self in a Sentence

a self-red rose of a shade that hasn't been seen before

First Known Use of self

before 12th century

self

noun

Definition of self

plural

selves

play \ˈselvz, Southern also ˈsevz\

1a : the entire person of an individualb : the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
2a (1) : an individual's typical character or behavior her true self was revealed (2) : an individual's temporary behavior or character his better selfb : a person in prime condition feel like my old self today
3 : the union of elements (such as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
4 : personal interest or advantage
5 : material that is part of an individual organism ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself

See self defined for English-language learners

Examples of self in a Sentence

She showed her better self at the party.
Her public self is very different from her private self.
Philosophers have written about the conception of the self.

Recent Examples of self from the Web

But big corporate media does face enough regulatory matters that even a single exemplary case would suffice to induce large-scale self-censorship.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "White House Warns CNN That Critical Coverage Could Cost Time Warner Its Merger", 6 July 2017
Yes, all four of those lovely SELF staffers are wearing red bras under their white tees to fantastic results.

— jessica cruel, SELF, "Forget Nude, Red Bras Are Invisible Under White Shirts", 6 July 2017
The television narrative highlighted protesters’ supposed unrest and Wilson’s self-defense claim.

— cody delistraty, Longreads, "Building a World of Acceptance: A Conversation with DeRay Mckesson", 5 July 2017
Something about Roy’s self-hating-Jewish persona drew him to fair-haired boys.

— marie brenner, The Hive, "How Donald Trump and Roy Cohn’s Ruthless Symbiosis Changed America", 4 July 2017
Perhaps this will help people with normal self-esteem speculate why recipients of gifts can have a hard time looking at their givers in the eye, and expressing gratitude.

— carolyn hax, idahostatesman, "How to handle cruel elders", 2 July 2017
Hell, the Three Dollar Bill Y’all$ cover art is essentially a graffiti-style, doodled self-portrait of that kid, drawn in Friday School detention, of course.

— william goodman, Billboard, "20 Years Ago, Limp Bizkit's 'Three Dollar Bill, Y'all$' Introduced the World to Fred Durst's White Rage", 1 July 2017
Both involve acts of often failed translation between our daytime and nighttime selves.

— mike fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "American Players Theatre turns to farce with 'A Flea in Her Ear'", 1 July 2017
The wine bar offers 64 self-serve wine stations and 64 local craft beers at 123 Water St. Blue Sushi is at the same address and the restaurant's first Illinois location.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Starbucks, Dark Horse Pastries move to new locations, Floyd's Barbershop opens", 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'self'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of self

13th century

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

self

verb

Definition of self

transitive verb
1 : inbreed
2 : to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
intransitive verb
: to undergo self-pollination

First Known Use of self

1905

self-

combining form

Definition of self-

1a : oneself or itself self-supportingb : of oneself or itself self-abasementc : by oneself or itself self-propelled self-acting
2a : to, with, for, or toward oneself or itself self-consistent self-addressed self-loveb : of or in oneself or itself inherently self-evidentc : from or by means of oneself or itself self-fertile

self–abasement
self–abnegating
self–abnegation
self–accelerating
self–acceptance
self–accusation
self–accusatory
self–accusing
self–acknowledged
self–adjusting
self–administer
self–administration
self–admitted
self–admittedly
self–adulatory
self–advancement
self–advertisement
self–advertiser
self–affirmation
self–aggrandizement
self–aggrandizing
self–alienation
self–anointed
self–appraisal
self–approbation
self–assessment
self–assignment
self–authenticating
self–avowed
self–betterment
self–cancel
self–care
self–caricature
self–castigate
self–castigation
self–censorship
self–characterization
self–classification
self–cleaning
self–command
self–communing
self–communion
self–complacency
self–complacent
self–condemnation
self–condemned
self–confirming
self–consecration
self–constituted
self–consuming
self–contemplation
self–contempt
self–created
self–creation
self–critical
self–criticism
self–critique
self–cultivation
self–culture
self–damning
self–debasement
self–deceit
self–deceive
self–deception
self–defeating
self–deluded
self–deluding
self–delusion
self–denigrating
self–denigration
self–dependence
self–dependent
self–deprecating
self–deprecatingly
self–deprecation
self–deprecatory
self–depreciation
self–described
self–description
self–descriptive
self–destroyer
self–development
self–devouring
self–differentiation
self–directed
self–directing
self–direction
self–directive
self–disgust
self–display
self–dissatisfaction
self–doubt
self–educated
self–educating
self–education
self–effacement
self–effacing
self–emancipation
self–emasculation
self–enclosed
self–engrossed
self–enhancement
self–evaluate
self–evaluation
self–exclusion
self–exculpation
self–exhibition
self–existence
self–existent
self–explaining
self–extinction
self–finance
self–formed
self–generate
self–giving
self–guided
self–hate
self–hating
self–hatred
self–healing
self–humbling
self–humiliation
self–hypnosis
self–idolatry
self–imposed
self–improvement
self–improver
self–induced
self–infatuated
self–inflation
self–inflicted
self–initiated
self–instructed
self–instruction
self–instructional
self–interview
self–invented
self–invention
self–isolation
self–labeled
self–lacerating
self–laceration
self–loathing
self–locking
self–lubricating
self–luminous
self–maintenance
self–management
self–mastery
self–medication
self–mockery
self–mocking
self–mortification
self–motivated
self–mutilating
self–mutilation
self–negating
self–obsessed
self–operating
self–ordained
self–oriented
self–parodist
self–parody
self–penned
self–perpetuating
self–perpetuation
self–plagiarism
self–pleasing
self–policing
self–praise
self–preoccupation
self–preoccupied
self–preserving
self–produced
self–promoter
self–promoting
self–promotion
self–protection
self–protective
self–protectiveness
self–punishing
self–punishment
self–raised
self–recrimination
self–reference
self–referential
self–referring
self–reformation
self–regulation
self–regulative
self–regulatory
self–reinforcing
self–renewal
self–renewing
self–renouncing
self–renunciation
self–reproach
self–reproachful
self–reproof
self–reproving
self–restraint
self–ridicule
self–satirizing
self–selected
self–selection
self–set
self–surrender
self–sustained
self–therapy
self–torment
self–tormentor
self–torture
self–transcendence
self–transformation
self–understanding
self–validating
self–worship
self–worshipper

Origin and Etymology of self-

Middle English, from Old English, from self

SELF Defined for English Language Learners

self

noun

Definition of self for English Language Learners

: the person that someone normally or truly is
: a particular part of your personality or character that is shown in a particular situation
: the personality or character that makes a person different from other people : the combination of emotions, thoughts, feelings, etc., that make a person different from others

self-

combining form

Definition of self- for English Language Learners

: yourself or itself
: of yourself or itself
: by, to, with, for, or toward yourself or itself

SELF Defined for Kids

self

play

noun \ˈself\

Definition of self for Students

plural

selves

\ˈselvz\

1 : a person regarded as an individual apart from everyone else
2 : a special side of a person's character He isn't his cheerful self today.

self-

prefix

Definition of self- for Students

1 : someone's or something's self self-governing
2 : of or by someone's or something's self self-control
3 : to, with, for, or toward someone's or something's self self-respect

Medical Dictionary

self

play

noun \ˈself\

Medical Definition of self

plural

selves

\ˈselvz\play

1: the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
2: material that is part of an individual organism ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself

Learn More about self

See words that rhyme with self Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for self Spanish Central: Translation of self Nglish: Translation of self for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of self for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about self

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up self? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

self

Definition of self

Explore M-W

Origin and Etymology of self

self

Definition of self

Examples of self in a Sentence

First Known Use of self

self Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

self

Definition of self

selves

Examples of self in a Sentence

Recent Examples of self from the Web

First Known Use of self

self Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Psychology Terms

self

Definition of self

transitive verb

intransitive verb

First Known Use of self

self-

Definition of self-

Origin and Etymology of self-

Phrases Related to SELF

Related Phrases

SELF Defined for English Language Learners

self

Definition of self for English Language Learners

self-

Definition of self- for English Language Learners

SELF Defined for Kids

self

Definition of self for Students

selves

self-

Definition of self- for Students

Medical Dictionary

self

Medical Definition of self

selves

Learn More about self

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Words We're Watching: 'Aquafaba'

Words About Word Play

Trending: Trump Tweets, We Define: 'Beleaguered'

The Emoji Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066