self-critical
UK[ˌself ˈkrɪtɪkl]US[ˌself ˈkrɪtɪkl]
adj
tending to judge oneself severely and find faults in one's own actions or character
adj
involving or characterized by the objective analysis and evaluation of one's own work or performance
Morpheme Breakdown
self
critical
self
own
critical
judging
Etymology
the word 'self-critical' is a modern english compound formed from two distinct elements. 'self' is a germanic root from old english, denoting one's own person or identity. 'critical' originates from the greek 'kritikos', meaning 'able to judge', which itself derives from the verb 'krinein' (to separate, decide, judge). the compound emerged in the 19th century, combining these elements to create a term that literally means 'judging oneself'. this reflects a conceptual evolution where the ancient act of judgment ('krinein') is turned inward upon the individual ('self'), describing a psychological state of rigorous personal evaluation rather than an external legal or artistic assessment.
Analysis
Structure: self (own) + critical (judging)
self (old english, meaning 'one's own person'); critical (from latin 'criticus' via greek 'kritikos', meaning 'able to judge or discern')
Examples
she is far too self-critical and often overlooks her own considerable achievements.
a self-critical approach is essential for any artist who wishes to improve their craft.
the company's self-critical review after the project's failure led to valuable process improvements.