Standard Lemma guide

self-knowledge

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌsɛlfˈnɒl.ɪdʒ/
  • General-American: nŏl′ij
  • General-American: /ˌsɛlfˈnɑl.ɪdʒ/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations; self-understanding.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an understanding of yourself and your goals and abilities

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: understanding, apprehension, discernment, savvy

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swé? Proto-Indo-European *selbh-der. Proto-Germanic *selbaz Old English self Old English self- Middle English self- English self- English knowledge English self-knowledge From self- + knowledge.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: ինքնաճանաչում (inkʻnačanačʻum) — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Armenian: ինքնաճանաչողություն (inkʻnačanačʻoġutʻyun) — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Catalan: autoconeixement — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 自知之明 (zìzhīzhīmíng) — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Czech: sebereflexe — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Dutch: zelfkennis — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • German: Selbsterkenntnis — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Hindi: आत्मज्ञान (ātmajñān) — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Hindi: आत्मबोध (ātmabodh) — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Hungarian: önismeret — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Irish: féinaithne — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Irish: féinfhios — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Italian: autoconoscenza — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Manx: hene-enney — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Polish: samowiedza — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Russian: самопозна́ние (samopoznánije) — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations
  • Swedish: självkännedom — knowledge or insight into one's own character, abilities, feelings, or motivations