What does "selfish" mean?

1. (caring only about oneself) thinking only about your own needs and not caring about other people. 2. (evolutionary biology) describes a gene that acts to copy itself, even if it does not help the individual animal or plant. 3. (video games) describes a character that works well on their own and does not need help from a team.

How do you use "selfish"?

Often used with the preposition 'of' when describing an action, as in 'it was selfish of you'.

selfish

adj.

US //ˈsɛɫfɪʃ// UK //sˈɛlfɪʃ// self·ish

1 caring only about oneself (adj.)
B1 Intermediate

thinking only about your own needs and not caring about other people.

characterised by or manifesting an excessive or exclusive concern for one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being, regardless of others.

Example

It was selfish of him to eat all the cake without offering any to his friends.

Example

The manager's selfish decision to prioritise his own bonus over the safety of the staff led to a complete breakdown in office morale.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'of' when describing an action, as in 'it was selfish of you'.
- egocentric
- self centred
- greedy
2 evolutionary biology (adj.)
C1 Advanced Technical Academic Science

describes a gene that acts to copy itself, even if it does not help the individual animal or plant.

relating to the theory that genes act to maximise their own replication and survival across generations, often at the expense of the individual organism.

Example

Scientists use the term 'selfish gene' to explain why certain traits survive for millions of years.

Example

The concept of the selfish gene suggests that altruistic behaviour in animals may actually be a calculated strategy for ensuring the survival of shared genetic material.

Teacher's tip

This sense is highly specific to evolutionary biology and should not be used to describe people in a scientific context unless referring to their genetic makeup.

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3 video games (adj.)
C1 Advanced Slang Informal Computing

describes a character that works well on their own and does not need help from a team.

referring to a character or playstyle that relies on individual capabilities and resources rather than providing utility or support to teammates.

Example

He always picks a selfish character because he prefers to play alone rather than helping the team.

Example

While the hero has high damage output, his selfish kit offers no defensive buffs to the rest of the party during boss fights.
- independent
- solo oriented
- supportive

Origin

From self + -ish. Compare Danish selvisk (“selfish”), Swedish självisk (“selfish”).

Word family

Nounselfishness
Adjectiveselfish