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Selfish vs Conceited - What's the difference?

selfish | conceited |

As adjectives the difference between selfish and conceited

is that selfish is holding one’s self-interest as the standard for decision making while conceited is having an excessively favorable opinion of one's abilities, appearance, etc.; vain and egotistical.

As a verb conceited is

past tense of conceit.

selfish

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Holding one’s self-interest as the standard for decision making.
  • * 1997 , John Peniel, The Children Of The Law Of One & The Lost Teachings Of Atlantis , chapter 10, page 127
  • “We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit. In this sense, every human has a sort of ‘split personality’. We are all kind of what you call ‘schitzy’ with these two sides, these two people living within us. And they are in total opposition. The free will dictates which of these two sides will have its way in our life, at every given moment.”
  • Having regard for oneself above others’ well-being.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
  • , chapter=5, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=The most rapid and most seductive transition in all human nature is that which attends the palliation of a ravenous appetite.

    Usage notes

    * Said of people, motives, desires, acts, etc.

    Synonyms

    * egoistic * egotistic * egotistical * self-centered * greedy

    Antonyms

    * altruistic * philanthropic * selfless * unselfish

    Derived terms

    * selfishly * selfishness

    See also

    * self-serving

    Anagrams

    *

    conceited

    English

    Etymology 1

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having an excessively favorable opinion of one's abilities, appearance, etc.; vain and egotistical.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • If you think me too conceited / Or to passion quickly heated.
  • * Bentley
  • Conceited of their own wit, science, and politeness.
  • (rhetoric, literature) Having an ingenious expression or metaphorical idea, especially in extended form or used as a literary or rhetorical device.
  • *
  • (obsolete) Endowed with fancy or imagination.
  • * Knolles
  • He was pleasantly conceited , and sharp of wit.
  • (obsolete) Curiously contrived or designed; fanciful.
  • * Evelyn
  • A conceited chair to sleep in.
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * conceitedly * conceitedness

    Etymology 2

    See (conceit) (verb)

    Verb

    (head)
  • (conceit)