self

self — noun

1. The combination of a person's character, thoughts, and emotions that makes them

1.nounC1
Definition

The combination of a person's character, thoughts, and emotions that makes them a unique individual, separate from others.

Example

After the long trip, Jin felt he had got back to his true self again.

true self — one's real personality

Meera's confident self emerged only after she rebuilt her strength through months of therapy.

confident self / true self — a particular version of one's personality

Common collocations
  • true self
  • old self
  • former self
  • better self
  • inner self
  • whole self
  • sense of self
Synonyms
  • ego

    More psychological or Freudian; often implies the conscious sense of self, especially in academic contexts

  • identity

    Broader; covers social, cultural, and personal dimensions of who someone is

  • character

    Focuses on moral qualities and typical behaviour rather than the whole inner being

  • persona

    The image or role a person presents to others, possibly different from their true self

Grammar Patterns

someone's + self

the + adjective + self

one's + adjective + self

Usage Note

Often used with an adjective before 'self' to describe a particular aspect or version of a person (e.g. 'my old self', 'her usual self', 'his better self'). The uncountable form refers to the whole of a person's being; the countable form focuses on a specific version or aspect.

Common Mistakes

She was back to herself old self.
She was back to her old self.
The adjective goes before 'self', not after.
I need to find my self again.
I need to find myself again.
The reflexive pronoun 'myself' is more natural in this pattern; 'my self' (with space) emphasises the identity sense.

2. A focus on your own benefit, gain, or pleasure, with little or no concern for ot

2.noun
Definition

A focus on your own benefit, gain, or pleasure, with little or no concern for other people.

Example

Maja made the choice out of pure self, thinking only about what she would gain.

out of self — acting from personal advantage

The company's focus on self rather than service led to many customer complaints.

Common collocations
  • out of self
  • pure self
  • driven by self
  • motivated by self
  • only self
Synonyms
  • self-interest

    More neutral and specific; can describe rational pursuit of one's own goals without the negative moral tone

  • selfishness

    Stronger negative connotation; implies a personality flaw rather than a momentary motivation

  • egoism

    Philosophical or technical term for the ethical stance that one's own interest is the proper goal

Antonyms
  • altruism

    Selfless concern for the well-being of others

Grammar Patterns

out of self

motivated by self

Usage Note

Almost always used in fixed phrases such as 'out of self', 'motivated by self', or 'driven by self'. Rarely used with an article. This sense often carries a negative moral judgement — it implies selfishness rather than healthy self-interest.

Common Mistakes

His self was the reason he acted that way.
His action was motivated by self.
This sense does not stand alone as a subject in everyday English; it appears in prepositional phrases.
She was thinking about her self.
She was thinking only of self.
The zero-article form 'self' (not 'her self') is used in this sense.
Idioms

be a shadow/ghost of your former self

idiom

To become much weaker, less successful, or less happy than you were before.

After the long illness, Maya was a shadow of her former self.

The once-thriving company is now a ghost of its former self.

self — prefix

self — pronoun

self — adjective

self — verb

self — combining form

Word family

  • selfie
    nounB1
  • selfish
    adjectiveB2
  • selfishly
    adverbC1
  • selfishness
    nounC1
  • selfless
    adjectiveC1
  • selflessly
    adverbC1
  • selflessness
    nounC1
  • selfhood
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These five words all relate to who a person is, but they emphasise different aspects. 'Self' is the broadest term — it covers the whole inner being: thoughts, feelings, and character combined. 'Ego' comes from psychology and often carries a narrower, more analytical tone; it refers to the conscious part of the mind that mediates between inner impulses and outer reality. In everyday conversation, 'ego' can imply excessive pride ('He has a big ego'). 'Identity' focuses on the social and cultural dimensions — who you are in relation to groups, roles, and history ('cultural identity', 'professional identity'). 'Character' is about moral qualities and habitual behaviour ('a person of strong character'). 'Persona' is the social mask or role someone presents to others, which may differ from their private self. For example: 'His public persona was that of a confident leader, but his true self was full of doubt. His character, however, was honest, and his identity as a teacher meant a lot to him.'

self ↗ego ↗identity ↗characterpersona ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sense of self
  • loss of self
  • state of self

Phrases

  • one's true self
  • one's former self
  • one's better self
  • one's usual self
  • one's old self
  • one's younger self
  • out of self
  • driven by self

Prepositions

  • of self
  • out of self
  • within the self

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'self' comes from Old English 'self', meaning 'same' or 'own'. It can be traced back through Proto-Germanic '*selbaz' to an ancient Indo-European root meaning 'self, same'. Related words in other Germanic languages include German 'selbst', Dutch 'zelf', and Swedish 'själv'. Originally it was an adjective or pronoun emphasising identity ('the self same person'), and only later became a noun referring to a person's essential being or individual nature. The use of 'self-' as a prefix to form compounds (self-confidence, self-taught) became widespread from the 16th century onward.