'self-reliant' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'reliant,' where 'self' refers to one's own person and 'reliant' means dependent on something or someone.

'self-reliant' evolved from the concept of 'self-reliance,' which was popularized in the 19th century, especially by writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Initially, it meant 'relying on oneself,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.