Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Selfish for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Selfish" — adjective, pronounced /ˈsɛlfɪʃ/, with the stress on "sel".
Narrator: Selfish means concerned only with one's own interests or pleasure, regardless of others.
Narrator: In plain English, a selfish person only thinks about themselves — like someone who eats the last slice of cake without asking.
Narrator: It comes from the word self, meaning oneself, plus the suffix ish, meaning having the quality of.
Narrator: "A selfish act" describes an action done only for one's own benefit.
Narrator: It differs from self-centred because selfish implies acting on self-interest, whereas self-centred is about perspective.
Narrator: "Selfish with money" is a sense meaning unwilling to share or spend.
Narrator: Psychology, relationships, ethics and everyday speech all rely on the word selfish.
Narrator: So remember: selfish means only thinking of yourself, from self and ish.
Speaker A: What does selfish mean?
Speaker B: Only thinking of yourself! SELFISH comes from self plus ish, so it means concerned only with your own interests, regardless of others.
Speaker A: So a selfish child won't share?
Speaker B: Yes — they keep everything to themselves!
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "A selfish act"; "selfish with money"; "don't be selfish" — actions, money and advice.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Don't confuse selfish with selfless, because selfish means only caring about yourself, while selfless means caring about others.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: 'Self-centred' the perspective cousin, 'greedy' the wanting twin, 'egotistical' the ego alternative. The word keeps its self-serving charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "selfish" in AI prompts — useful for psychology apps and relationship tools.
Speaker A: So a prompt could frame psychology?
Speaker B: Right. For a psychology app, you'd write:
Prompt: Write a short guide to overcoming selfish behaviour, naming two steps.
Speaker A: How about a relationship tool?
Speaker B: Ask the model to advise:
Prompt: Draft a guide to dealing with a selfish partner, naming two strategies.
Speaker A: Could it help with an ethics bot?
Speaker B: Yes, you can frame morality:
Prompt: Summarise in two sentences why selfishness harms relationships, naming one consequence.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: For a parenting chatbot, try this:
Prompt: Write a short tip on teaching children not to be selfish, naming one method.
Selfish — meaning in Arabic & definition More S courses GL Dictionary