self-assessment
UK[ˌself əˈsesmənt]US[ˌself əˈsesmənt]
n
the process of judging your own abilities, performance, or progress.
Morpheme Breakdown
self
assess
ment
self
own
assess
judge
ment
state of
Etymology
The word 'self-assessment' is a modern English compound formed from three distinct elements. The first, 'self', is a Germanic root from Old English meaning 'one's own person'. The core verb 'assess' originates from the Latin 'assessare', meaning 'to sit beside' (as a judge) and later 'to fix a tax', derived from 'assidere' ('to sit by'). The suffix '-ment', from Latin '-mentum', is used to form nouns denoting an action or its result. Therefore, the term literally and logically describes 'the process or result of judging oneself', evolving from concrete legal/fiscal evaluation to a broader sense of personal appraisal.
Analysis
Structure: self (own) + assess (judge) + ment (state of)
self: Old English; a prefix meaning 'own', 'of oneself'.
assess: Latin (via Old French); a verb root meaning 'to judge, value, or estimate'.
ment: Latin; a noun-forming suffix indicating the action, process, or result of an action.
Examples
Completing a self-assessment is a required part of the annual review process.
Her honest self-assessment helped her identify areas for professional development.
The course includes exercises in critical thinking and self-assessment.