Where does “unselfish” come from?
Unselfish derives from English self, which comes from Proto-Indo-European óynos, ultimately traceable to the reflexive pronoun s(w)e- meaning oneself.
unselfish (English): Not selfish
Definitions
- Not selfish
Ancestry of “unselfish”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | selfish | Holding one's own self-interest as the standard... |
| 2 | English | Self | Himself, herself, itself, themself, themselves; that specific (person mentioned) |
| 3 | Middle English | salve | Alternative form of sauf |
| 4 | Old English | sealf | salve |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | salbu | salve, ointment |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | salbō | salve, ointment |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | solp-éh₂ | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | selp- | fat, oil |