Where does “-self” come from?
-self (English) comes from English self, from Middle English sulf, from Old English sylf, from Old English self, from Proto-West Germanic *selb, from Proto-Germanic selbaz, from Proto-Indo-European selbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European s(w)e- — self.
-self (English): Used in forming intensive and reflexive forms of...
Definitions
- Used in forming intensive and reflexive forms of...
Ancestry of “-self”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | self | Himself, herself, itself, themselves; that... |
| 2 | Middle English | sulf | — |
| 3 | Old English | sylf | self, oneself |
| 4 | Old English | self | self; oneself, personally |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *selb | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | selbaz | self |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | selbʰ- | one's own |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | s(w)e- | separate, apart; separate; apart; oneself; one's... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | swé | self |