Etymograph

English

self-existence

From self- + existence.

Formed from self- + existence

Proto-Indo-European *selbʰ-

Proto-Germanic *selbaz ‘self’

Proto-Germanic *selba-

English self-

Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand’

…

Latin exsistēns ‘existing’

Late Latin existentia ‘existence’

Old French existence

Middle English existence

English existence

Today it means

noun inherent existence; existence by virtue of a being's own nature, and independent of any other being or cause

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “self-existence”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / self-existence