Where does “сам” come from?
сам (Russian) comes from Old East Slavic самъ, from Proto-Slavic samъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sāmas, from Proto-Indo-European somHós, from Proto-Indo-European sem- — together, one.
сам (Russian): self, -self
Ancestry of “сам”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old East Slavic | самъ | — |
| 2 | Proto-Slavic | samъ | self, oneself |
| 3 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | *sāmas | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | somHós | same, alike |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |