self-worth

The compound "self-worth" is a modern English formation built from two ancient Germanic roots. "Self" originates from Proto-Germanic selbaz, carrying the core meaning of "one's own person," a concept deeply embedded in the identity of the individual. "Worth" derives from Proto-Germanic werþaz, related to value and equivalence, and is further traced to the Proto-Indo-European root wert- ("to turn, to wind"), which metaphorically extended to notions of exchange and relative value. The fusion of these elements in the late 19th to early 20th century created a term that literally means "the value of one's own self," evolving from a purely economic sense of 'worth' to a psychological concept describing an individual's intrinsic sense of dignity and competence.

Structure: self (own) + worth (value) self: From Old English 'self', 'seolf', 'sylf', meaning "own, same." It is a pronoun and adjective used to form compounds, indicating identity or personal agency. worth: From Old English 'weorþ', 'wurþ', meaning "value, price, equal in value to." It functions as a noun in this compound, denoting the concept of value.