self-loven.
/ˌsɛlfˈlʌv/, U.S. /ˌsɛlfˈləv/ 1. Esp. in early use: love or admiration of oneself; conceitedness, vanity. Also: excessive regard for one's own interests; self-centredness, selfishness.Chiefly with negative connotations, but in later use sometimes with neutral sense.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > self-esteem > vanity > [noun]
idleshipa1250
vanitya1340
self-love1539
self-liking1549
conceit1563
vainness1567
self-pridea1586
self-delight1591
self-admiration1609
self-respect1609
self-lovingnessa1628
self-idolatry1643
self-idolizing1643
selfism1731
coxcombry1745
coxcombliness1765
coxcombicality1766
coxcombery1774
narcissism1822
narcism1938
society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > self-interest > [noun] > self-love
philautia1528
self-love1539
philauty1564
self-lovingnessa1628
self-partiality1628
1539 R. Taverner tr. Erasmus Prouerbes f. xlviijv Vndoutedly, nothynge is more hurtful to a man, then selfe loue is.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Apol. Poetrie (1595) sig. B1v Selfe-loue is better then any guilding to make that seeme gorgious, wherein our selues are parties.
1596 T. Nashe Haue with you to Saffron-Walden sig. N3v In thys innouating selfe-loue Age.
1655 N. Culpeper et al. tr. L. Rivière Pract. Physick To Rdr. I, who never had the thought (being very free from Self-Love) that my writings were of so much worth.
1733 A. Pope Ess. Man iii. 281 Self-Love forsook the Path it first pursu'd, And found the private in the publick Good.
1799 S. J. Pratt Gleanings in Eng. xiv. 272 I am satisfied the author had no more idea of self-love, or self-interest while she wrote.
1837 H. Martineau Society in Amer. III. 35 That kind of self-love which takes the form of family pride.
1875 H. E. Manning Internal Mission of Holy Ghost v. 130 Self-love, which is the curse of mankind, is the abuse and perversion of that love of self which is a divine law.
1939 Scotsman 16 May 8/6 There was no human goodness which was not tainted by the evil of self-love.
1990 B. Bettelheim Recoll. & Refl. i. 26 My self-love did not permit me to believe that Otto might be more interesting to her than I was.
2. Philosophy. Regard for one's own well-being or happiness, considered as a natural and appropriate attitude towards oneself.The term gained currency from the 18th cent., owing to its use by Bishop Joseph Butler (see quot. 1726) in his rejection of the egoistic view of human nature supported by Thomas Hobbes.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > philosophy > moral philosophy > hedonism > [noun] > selfism
self-love1622
selfism1871
1622 J. Downham Guide to Godlynesse ii. ix. 139 (heading) The properties of lawfull selfe-loue.
1688 J. Norris Theory & Regulation Love i. v. 51 That special sort of Benevolence which we call self-love.
1726 Bp. J. Butler 15 Serm. iii. 55 Conscience and Self-love, if we understand our true Happiness, always lead us the same Way: Duty and Interest are perfectly coincident.
1727 J. Swift Thoughts on Var. Subj. in Misc. Prose & Verse I. 400 Religion is allow'd to be the highest Instance of Self-Love.
1828 D. Stewart Philos. Active & Moral Powers Man I. ii. i. 145 Self-love..is inseparable from our nature as rational and sensitive beings.
1883 H. Maudsley Body & Will 166 Self-love is not despicable, but laudable, since duties to self, if self-perfecting..must needs be duties to others.
1911 J. Ward Realm of Ends xvi. 343 The end of self-love is said to be happiness, a continuous subjective state of pleasant feeling.
1957 Hudson Rev. 10 548 Self-love is surely the beginning of the love of others, but it is only the beginning.
2016 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 14 Feb. (Review section) 10/4 A healthy self-love that leads to true happiness is what Rousseau called ‘amour de soi’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, January 2018; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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