SELF-word (hyphenated prefix) – English Grammar Profiler

When Self is a prefix, it is attached by a hyphen to other words. Most of these are adjectives and nouns.  Let’s look at the differences between the vocabulary pictured in our featured image from the English Vocabulary Profile (EVP) and that found in a search in the NOW corpus (while it is 16.2 billion+) for self-*.

The first alphabetically listed item in the EVP “self-assurance” is 24 times less common than the most frequent and unlisted vocabulary item “self-driving“.

1 SELF-DRIVING 58535 (unlisted adjective)

She probably thought 

this was one of those self-driving cars.

listen

2 SELF-EMPLOYED 50700 (unlisted adjective)

You must realize as a self-employed writer, 

there’s virtually nothing 

you can not claim off your tax.

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3 SELF-ESTEEM (NN1) 49269 C1

The only chick with low self-esteem that I wanted tonight is you.

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4 SELF-DETERMINATION (NN1) 39871
5 SELF-ISOLATE (JJ) 39695 (not all of these are tagged correctly.  This looks like it should be a verb) 6 SELF-PROCLAIMED (JJ) 35247

7 SELF-SUFFICIENT (JJ) 25972 C2

Because their success and survival depended on staying hidden from the outside world, 

these Swamp communities were largely self-sufficient.

TED

8 SELF-CONFIDENCE (NN1) 25554 B2

But with your help, 

I‘m starting to get my self-confidence back.

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9 SELF-DEFENCE (NN1) 25145
10 SELF-SERVICE (JJ) 23199 B1

He just gets flustered at self-service checkouts 

and takes things without scanning them.

listen

11 SELF-INTEREST (NN1) 22934 12 SELF-ISOLATION (NN1_JJ) 21828 13 SELF-HELP (JJ_NN1) 19977 14 SELF-DEFENSE (NN1_JJ) 19496 15 SELF-INFLICTED (JJ_NN1) 18434 16 SELF-CONTAINED (JJ) 18429 17 SELF-SUFFICIENCY (NN1) 18257

18 SELF-AWARENESS (NN1) 17895 C2

We are the only beings on the planet

 that have this type of self-awareness, 

which is called consciousness.

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19 SELF-IMPOSED (JJ_NN1) 17623
20 SELF-MADE (JJ) 17480 C2

I had no idea that 

we are rushing into this self-made disaster

 in such a rapid pace.

TED

21 SELF-RELIANT (JJ) 16516 C2

How do we raise self-reliant kids 

who have initiative, 

who are resilient, 

and who could be problem solvers?

TED

22 SELF-DESCRIBED (JJ_NN1) 15643 23 SELF-HARM (NN1_JJ) 15507 24 SELF-SERVING (JJ_NN1) 15215 25 SELF-CARE (NN1_JJ) 15016 26 SELF-STYLED (JJ_NN1) 14379 27 SELF-QUARANTINE (NN1_JJ) 14110

28 SELF-CONTROL (NN1) 13240 C2

No, no, because I can practice some self-control, unlike some people I know.
Oh, really?  That hurts, kind of.

listen

29 SELF-CONSCIOUS (JJ) 13105 C1

Well, ever since the big fire, 

they‘ve been quite self-conscious

 about showing themselves in public.

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30 SELF-TITLED (JJ_NN1) 12545 31 SELF-AWARE (JJ) 12019 32 SELF-WORTH (JJ_NN1@) 11290 33 SELF-EXPRESSION (NN1) 10978 34 SELF-CONFESSED (JJ) 10725

35 SELF-RELIANCE (NN1_JJ) 10658 C2

Not at all.
Self-reliance is the key to a vigorous life.

listen

36 SELF-REGULATION (NN1) 10335
37 SELF-RESPECT (NN1) 10304

Why don’t I have any self-respect?!
You‘re an actress, honey.

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38 SELF-TAUGHT (JJ_NN1) 10087 39 SELF-LOVE (NN1) 10043 40 SELF-EVIDENT (JJ) 9981 41 SELF-CARE (JJ_NN1) 9735 42 SELF-ISOLATION (JJ_NN1) 9286 43 SELF-DESTRUCTIVE (JJ) 9138 44 SELF-ISOLATING (JJ_NN1) 9031 45 SELF-ASSESSMENT (NN1) 8780 46 SELF-REPORTED (JJ_NN1) 8712 47 SELF-BELIEF (NN1_JJ) 8646 48 SELF-DOUBT (NN1_JJ) 8639 49 SELF-GOVERNMENT (NN1) 7990 50 SELF-APPOINTED (JJ) 7670 51 SELF-GOVERNING (JJ) 7468 52 SELF-DEFENSE (JJ_NN1) 7448 53 SELF-DISCOVERY (NN1_JJ) 7368 54 SELF-DESCRIBED (JJ) 7238 55 SELF-DRIVING (JJ) 6929 56 SELF-SUSTAINING (JJ_NN1) 6917 57 SELF-EMPLOYMENT (NN1_JJ) 6474 58 SELF-RIGHTEOUS (JJ) 6360 59 SELF-DEPRECATING (JJ_NN1) 6296 60 SELF-HELP (NN1_JJ) 6155 61 SELF-DECLARED (JJ_NN1) 6104

62 SELF-DESTRUCTION (JJ) 5907

SELF-ASSURED 5861

You fill that void

with superficial relationships 

with older, seemingly self-assured guys.

listen

(*not sure why this item was not listed in the initial search,

it only appeared in an individual search)

63 SELF-INDULGENT (JJ) 5783 64 SELF-REFLECTION (NN1_JJ) 5778 65 SELF-REGULATORY (JJ) 5726 66 SELF-ISOLATING (JJ) 5688 67 SELF-EXPLANATORY (JJ) 5672 68 SELF-FULFILLING (JJ_NN1) 5648 69 SELF-DIRECTED (JJ_NN1) 5628 70 SELF-CARE (NN1) 5544 71 SELF-INTERESTED (JJ) 5521 72 SELF-SERVE (JJ) 5417 73 SELF-FUNDED (JJ_NN1) 5263 74 SELF-PUBLISHED (JJ_NN1) 5113

75 SELF-DISCIPLINE (NN1_JJ) 4832 C2

First, you must prove 

that you have the physical strength, the self-discipline, and the mental stamina 

necessary to meet the high standards of the united states army.

Private Benjamin

76 SELF-HARM (JJ_NN1) 4822 77 SELF-SERVING (JJ) 4793 78 SELF-EFFACING (JJ) 4733 79 SELF-GUIDED (JJ_NN1) 4679 80 SELF-ISOLATING (NN1_JJ) 4616 81 SELF-PRESERVATION (NN1_JJ) 4607

82 SELF-CATERING (JJ) 4578 C1

Further search for collocates:

1 ACCOMMODATION 762

Accommodation options include self-catering

B&Bs to boutique and luxury hotels.

capetownetc.com

2 NIGHTS 460 3 COTTAGES 337 4 SEVEN 319

5  APARTMENTS 274

83 SELF-CENTRED (JJ) 4553 C1 (note two different spellings)

I think they‘re vain, stupid and incredibly self-centred.

listen

84 SELF-RULE (NN1) 4488 85 SELF-RULED (JJ_NN1) 4444 86 SELF-SACRIFICE (NN1) 4421 87 SELF-DEFEATING (JJ_NN1) 4394 88 SELF-IMPROVEMENT (NN1_JJ) 4340 89 SELF-PORTRAITS (NN2) 4333 90 SELF-IMAGE (NN1_JJ) 4303 91 SELF-EMPLOYMENT (JJ_NN1) 4287 92 SELF-RESPECTING (JJ_NN1) 4259

93 SELF-CENTERED (JJ) 4166

94 SELF-DRIVING (NN1_JJ) 4160 95 SELF-PITY (NN1_JJ) 4118 96 SELF- (JJ_NN1) 4085 97 SELF-INFLICTED (JJ) 4082 98 SELF-MANAGEMENT (NN1) 4054 99 SELF-IDENTIFIED (JJ_NN1) 4025

100 SELF-PROFESSED (JJ_NN1) 3984

SELF-CONFIDENT (JJ) 3557 B2

My feelings might have even been hurt 

if I wasn’t such a self-confident individual.

Percy Jackson

SELF-ASSURANCE 2391 C2

I don’t know, 

there’s a certain arrogance about you,

 a little too much self-assurance.

listen