Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “self-obsession” come from?

self-obsession (English) comes from English obsession, from Latin obsessiō, from Latin obsidere, from Latin obsideo, from Latin ob-, from Latin obolus, from Ancient Greek ὀβολός, from Ancient Greek ὀβελός — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.

self-obsession (English): preoccupation with self; egocentrism; selfishness

Definitions

  1. preoccupation with self; egocentrism; selfishness

Ancestry of “self-obsession”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishobsessionA compulsive or irrational preoccupation; An...
2Latinobsessiō—
3Latinobsiderepresent active infinitive of obsideō;...
4LatinobsideoI sit, remain, abide, stay; I frequent, haunt,...
5Latinob-towards; against
6Latinobolusobolus
7Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
8Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
9Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
10Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos—
11Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →