Where does “self” come from?

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

self (Old Saxon): self

Definitions

  1. self

Ancestry of “self”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicselbazself
2Proto-Indo-Europeanselbʰ-one's own
3Proto-Indo-Europeans(w)e-separate, apart; separate; apart; oneself; one's...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé
self — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer