Where does “self-” come from?

self- (Old 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- (Old English): self, oneself; own, one's own

Definitions

  1. self, oneself; own, one's 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 →Every word from Proto-Indo-European s(w)e- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European selbʰ- →