selfness: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Literary, Philosophical, Technical
Quick answer
What does “selfness” mean?
The essential quality of being an individual self.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The essential quality of being an individual self; identity, individuality.
The state of being concerned with or directed toward oneself; self-centeredness or self-awareness, depending on context. In some philosophical contexts, it refers to the nature of being a self.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage; the word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Often has a philosophical or psychological connotation. Can sound archaic or overly formal.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora. More likely found in 19th-century literature, modern academic philosophy, or psychology texts than in contemporary speech.
Grammar
How to Use “selfness” in a Sentence
the selfness of [noun]a loss of selfnessVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in philosophical and psychological discourse to discuss the nature of personal identity.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would likely be misunderstood or sound pretentious.
Technical
Used in specialist philosophical texts as a synonym for 'selfhood' or 'ipseity'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “selfness”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “selfness”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “selfness”
- Confusing it with 'selfishness' (different meaning).
- Assuming it's a common word and using it in casual conversation.
- Misspelling as 'selfless' or 'selfishness'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are different. 'Selfishness' means being concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure. 'Selfness' is a rarer, more neutral term referring to the state or quality of being an individual self.
It is not recommended, as it is an extremely rare word. Using it may sound unnatural or pretentious. Common synonyms like 'individuality' or 'identity' are far better choices.
It is exclusively a noun.
You are most likely to find it in older literary works (19th century), or in modern academic texts on philosophy, psychology, or theology discussing the concept of the self.
The essential quality of being an individual self.
Selfness is usually formal, literary, philosophical, technical in register.
Selfness: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛlfnəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛlfnəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this rare word]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'SELF + NESS' — the 'state of being a self'. It's as simple as it looks.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE SELF IS AN ESSENCE (to lose one's selfness is to lose one's essential nature).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'selfness' MOST appropriately used?