Meaning of self In English

• 0 the set of someone's characteristics, such as personality and ability, that are not physical and make that person different from other people:

  • The hero of the movie finally finds his true self (= discovers what his true personality and feelings are).

  • When I saw them this afternoon they were more like their old/normal selves (= as they were in the past).

  • a sense of self

• 1 interest only in your own advantage:

  • Her reply was typical of her constant regard for self.

• 2 of or by yourself or itself:

  • self-educated

  • a self-winding watch

• 3 who a person is, including the qualities such as personality and ability that make one person different from another:

  • [ C ] Now I’m feeling better, and I’m back to my old self again.

  • [ U ] I still assert the validity of self over social convention.

• 4 used to form words that describe something or someone as doing something themselves:

  • a self-winding watch

  • a self-catering holiday

  • self-build homes

• 5 written on cheques, official documents, business letters, etc. to refer to yourself:

  • a cheque written to self

  • Most health plans have a three-tier system of coverage: self only, self and one other person, or self and family.