| ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ noun
1. : preservation of oneself from destruction or harm
self-preservation demands a certain amount of public spirit — S.M.Crothers
2. : a natural or instinctive tendency to act so as to preserve one's own existence
man has not only the impulse of self-preservation, but also a social impulse — Frank Thilly