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# selfish

adjective (selfish; more selfish, most selfish)

«selfish» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A selfish person thinks mostly about themselves and what they want, and does not care enough about other people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#m1)
2. A selfish act is one done only for your own good, at others' expense. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#m2)

### In the lessons

In ethics, PSHE and stories, selfishness is shown as wrong: the selfish giant who would not share his garden, the child who will not share sweets. Pupils learn that sharing and taking turns are the opposite. Phrases: «selfish behaviour», «a selfish giant», «don't be selfish».

### Examples

- It's selfish to eat all the sweets yourself. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#x1)
- The Selfish Giant would not let the children play in his garden. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#x2)
- He was too selfish to share his toys. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#x3)
- Taking the last seat when Grandma was standing was selfish. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#x4)
- Being selfish can lose you friends. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#x5)
- She realised she had been selfish and said sorry. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#x6)
- He was a very selfish Giant. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/#x7)

### Note

Comparison: more selfish, most selfish. Noun «selfishness», adverb «selfishly». Opposite: «selfless», «unselfish», «generous». Trap: taking care of yourself (rest, saying no to danger) is not the same as being selfish.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «selfish» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/selfish/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«selfish» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/selfish.html) on Mova free.