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self

n. · pron. · v. · adj.
US //ˈsɛɫf// UK //sˈɛlf// self
  1. 1 personality or identity (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    your basic personality or the qualities that make you who you are.

    the essential qualities of an individual's character, personality, or disposition that distinguish them from others.

    Example

    After a long holiday, she finally felt like her old self again.

    Example

    The therapist encouraged him to explore his inner self to better understand the motivations behind his recurring anxieties.
  2. 2 personal interest (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    thinking only about what is good for you.

    the pursuit of personal advantage or self-interest, often to the exclusion of others.

    Example

    He was a man driven entirely by self and greed.

    Example

    The philosopher argued that every human action is ultimately rooted in a fundamental concern for the self.
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  1. 3 biological tissue (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Medicine

    cells or tissues that belong to your own body rather than a foreign source.

    any molecule, cell, or tissue of an organism's own, distinguished by the immune system from foreign or 'nonself' material.

    Example

    The immune system must be able to distinguish between self and foreign invaders.

    Example

    Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's immune response fails to recognise self and begins attacking its own healthy tissues.
    • autologous
    • nonself
  2. 4 myself (pron.)
    C1 Advanced Humorous Informal

    a funny way of saying 'me' or 'myself'.

    used as a reflexive pronoun referring to the speaker; typically restricted to humorous or mock-formal contexts.

    Example

    I shall treat my noble self to a large piece of cake.

    Example

    The invitation was addressed to 'your good self', which gave the formal event a slightly old-fashioned and playful tone.
  3. 5 to self-pollinate (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Botany

    to fertilize a plant using its own pollen.

    to fertilize a flower or plant using pollen from the same individual or strain.

    Example

    Some garden peas are designed to self before the flower even opens.

    Example

    The researcher attempted to self the hybrid plants to see if the desired traits would remain stable in the next generation.
    • self pollinate
    • inbreed
    • cross pollinate
  4. 6 uniform colour (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    having only one solid colour without any patterns or other shades.

    having a single, uniform nature or character throughout, particularly regarding colour or composition.

    Example

    She preferred the self-coloured fabric because it looked more elegant.

    Example

    The breeder aimed to produce a self-coloured tulip, free from the streaks and variations common in that particular variety.
Origin

From Middle English self, silf, sulf, from Old English self, seolf, sylf, from Proto-Germanic *selbaz. Cognates include Gothic 𐍃𐌹𐌻𐌱𐌰 (silba), German selbst and Dutch zelf.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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