self-limited
UK[ˌself ˈlɪmɪtɪd]US[ˌself ˈlɪmɪtɪd]
adj
(of a disease or condition) tending to resolve spontaneously without specific treatment, having a finite duration.
Morpheme Breakdown
self
limit
ed
self
own
limit
boundary
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word is a modern English compound formed from native and Latinate elements. "Self," a core Germanic concept of identity, combines with "limit," from Latin limes meaning a boundary or frontier. The suffix "-ed" transforms the noun "limit" into an adjectival form, "having limits." The term's medical application, describing a disease that confines itself, logically extends from the literal meaning of "having one's own boundaries," implying an internal constraint on its progression without external intervention.
Analysis
Structure: self (own) + limit (boundary) + ed (adjective suffix)
self: Old English, from Proto-Germanic. A reflexive pronoun meaning "one's own person."
limit: Latin limes (boundary, border). The noun/verb meaning a point or line beyond which something does not extend.
ed: Old English, from Proto-Germanic. A suffix forming adjectives with the sense "having the characteristics of."
Examples
The common cold is usually a self-limited illness that runs its course in about a week.
Many viral infections in children are self-limited and require only supportive care.
The physician explained that the rash was benign and self-limited, likely to fade on its own.