philautia

English

Etymology

Loan from Greek φίλαυτοι, nominative of φίλαυτος, a compound of phil- +‎ auto-

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɪˈlɔː.ti.ə/

Noun

philautia (uncountable)

1. (rare, archaic or historical) Self-love, self-conceit
   • 2003, Lee Palmer Wandel, Always Among Us: Images of the Poor in Zwingli's Zurich, page 65:

     Zwingli distinguished the origin of human sin with its Greek name, philautia. Philautia promotes the self over all others, both brother and father, neighbor and God. It is the wish for "things to be better for us than for others."

   • 2006, Oliver O'Donovan, The Problem of Self-Love in St. Augustine:

     There was, however, an inclination in pre-Christian Greek philosophy to speak of philautia in a different way. In Plato's Laws we first encounter the saying, apparently traditional, that "every man is naturally his own friend." This idea was to provide Aristotle with a developed theory of friendship.

Usage notes

Usually used in the context of Ancient Greek philosophy.

See also

• φίλαυτος on Greek Wiktionary