self-righteous

the word is a compound formed in english from two native elements. 'self' derives from proto-germanic selbaz, maintaining its core meaning of one's own identity. 'righteous' originates from old english rihtwīs, a combination of riht (right, just) and wīs (manner, way), thus describing someone who acts in a just way. when combined in the early modern period, 'self-righteous' took on a specific moral-psychological meaning, shifting from a neutral description of personal virtue to a pejorative term criticizing an individual's smug conviction in their own superior morality, often implying hypocrisy or a lack of humility. this evolution reflects a cultural critique of unexamined virtue.

Structure: self (own) + righteous (morally right) self (old english, meaning 'one's own person'); righteous (middle english, from old english rihtwīs, meaning 'right' + 'wise/manner', i.e., 'just, upright')