selfhood

noun

self·​hood ˈself-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce selfhood (audio)
1
2
: the quality or state of being selfish

Examples of selfhood in a Sentence

he spent a year in a monastery determining the core of his selfhood
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The sense of selfhood existing in mirrorlike closeup, is an inherently cinematic one, not a theatrical one, and Deneuve is the greatest exemplar of this French style. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025 And that’s exactly what Self of Selves offers: an unguarded layering of thought, process, and selfhood. Okla Jones, Essence, 12 Apr. 2025 These articles and practices align with Self’s idea of collage as representative of selfhood and that humans exist in multiple dimensions. Essence, 25 Mar. 2025 Whether explicit or implicit, each vignette is a lesson learned, and those experiences accumulate into new iterations of selfhood as the story progresses. Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for selfhood

Word History

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of selfhood was in 1568

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Cite this Entry

“Selfhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selfhood. Accessed 12 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

selfhood

noun
self·​hood ˈself-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce selfhood (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on selfhood

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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