selfship

/ˈsɛlf.ʃɪp/

//ˈsɛlf.ʃɪp// noun

"selfship" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“selfship” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The state, essence, or quality of self; identity; individuality.

Key facts for selfship
PropertyValue
Headwordselfship
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɛlf.ʃɪp/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “selfship” sits in English frequency

selfship falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for selfship is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɛlf.ʃɪp/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "The state, essence, or quality of self; identity; individuality.".

selfship has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From self + -ship. Compare Dutch zelfschap, Danish selvskab, Swedish självskap, Norwegian selvskap. The correct English form is selfship, spelled S-E-L-F-S-H-I-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state, essence, or quality of self; identity; individuality.

Etymology

From self + -ship. Compare Dutch zelfschap, Danish selvskab, Swedish självskap, Norwegian selvskap.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "selfship"?
"selfship" is spelled S-E-L-F-S-H-I-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɛlf.ʃɪp/.
What does "selfship" mean?
As a noun, "selfship" means: The state, essence, or quality of self; identity; individuality.
How do you pronounce "selfship"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "selfship" is /ˈsɛlf.ʃɪp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "selfship"?
From self + -ship. Compare Dutch zelfschap, Danish selvskab, Swedish självskap, Norwegian selvskap. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “selfship”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-E-L-F-S-H-I-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɛlf.ʃɪp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list