Where does “selves” come from?
Selves derives from Middle English self, Old English self, and Proto-Indo-European selbʰ-, which relates to the reflexive pronoun se meaning oneself.
selves (English): plural of self
Definitions
- plural of self
Ancestry of “selves”, 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 |