Where does “self” come from?

self (Middle English) comes 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-, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.

self (Middle English): same, aforementioned; very; own

Definitions

  1. same, aforementioned; very; own

Ancestry of “self”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishselfself; oneself, personally
2Proto-West Germanic*selb
3Proto-Germanicselbazself
4Proto-Indo-Europeanselbʰ-one's own
5Proto-Indo-Europeans(w)e-separate, apart; separate; apart; oneself; one's...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself

Words derived from “self

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé