Etymograph

English

self-expression

From self- + expression.

A compound of self- + expression

Proto-Indo-European *selbʰ-

Proto-Germanic *selbaz ‘self’

Proto-Germanic *selba-

English self-

Late Latin expressiō ‘a pressing out’

Middle French expression

English expression

Today it means

noun The means by which one's personal characteristics are displayed; showing one's internal beliefs or character by means of external actions/changes.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “self-expression”. 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-expression