self
|self|
/sɛlf/
individual identities
Etymology
'self' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'self', where it meant 'the same' or 'self'.
'self' changed from Old English 'self' and is cognate with Old High German 'selb' and German 'selbst', ultimately from Proto-Germanic '*selbaz' (or '*selbuz'), and it developed into the modern English word 'self'.
Initially it meant 'the same' or 'the very one'; over time it came to mean the individual person, identity, or ego — the modern senses of 'self'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person's essential being, identity, or personality; the conscious individual (often used in psychology or philosophy).
She was trying to understand her true self.
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Noun 2
a person's sense of who they are in relation to others; self-concept or self-image.
Public criticism affected his self and confidence.
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Adjective 1
used as a combining form before nouns to indicate that something relates to oneself or is done by oneself (often written with a hyphen: self-).
Many people are proud of being self employed.
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Last updated: 2025/08/22 08:41