Where does “self” come from?

self (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch self, from Proto-Germanic selbaz, from Proto-Indo-European selbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European s(w)e-, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.

Ancestry of “self”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchself
2Proto-Germanicselbazself
3Proto-Indo-Europeanselbʰ-one's own
4Proto-Indo-Europeans(w)e-separate, apart; separate; apart; oneself; one's...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself

Words derived from “self

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé
self — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer