Self Meaning: Definition and Usage

Meaning 1：one's own being (self)

self 🔊

/sɛlf/

The core part of who you are; your own person, thoughts, and feelings, separate from others.

Person reflecting on self in quiet morning light

one's own being 🔊

➕

/wʌnz oʊn ˈbiːɪŋ/

The essential individuality of a person; the distinct identity that makes someone who they are, including their thoughts, feelings, and character.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Old English 'self', from Proto-Germanic *selbaz, meaning 'self, same'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'self' as the 'core' inside you – both start with 's' and represent your essence.

📖 Example

After that solo trip to the mountains, she felt much more connected to her true self. 🔊 After that solo trip to the mountains, she felt much more connected to her true self.

🔗 Collocations

self-esteem – confidence in one's own worth or abilities

self-awareness – conscious knowledge of one's own character, feelings, and desires

self-confidence – a feeling of trust in one's abilities, qualities, and judgment

🔄 Synonyms

ego (n.) – a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance

identity (n.) – the fact of being who or what a person is

persona (n.) – the aspect of someone's character that is presented to or perceived by others

🚫 Antonyms

other (n.) – a person or entity distinct from oneself

🌱 Derivatives

selfish (adj.) – lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own profit or pleasure

selfless (adj.) – concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own

selfhood (n.) – the quality of being an individual person; individuality

📖 Cultural Story

From Proto-Indo-European *s(w)e- 'self', it evolved into Old English 'self'. Central in psychology for identity.