selfsame

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*sem-“one, together”
2. Old Norse · derived fromsamr“same; agreeing, of one mind”
3. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*swé“self”
4. Old English · derived fromself
5. Middle English · inherited fromself sam
6. English todayselfsame

PIE word *swé From Middle English self sam, self same, selve same (“the very same, selfsame”) [and other forms], from self (“that specific (person mentioned), herself, himself, itself, themselves”, pronoun) (from Old English self, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swé (“self”)) + sam, same (“(adjective) equal, identical; unchanging; referred to earlier, abovenamed, aforementioned; (adverb) again, repeatedly”) (from Old Norse samr (“same; agreeing, of one mind”), ultimately probably from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one, together”)). The English word is analysable as self + same. Cognates * Danish selvsamme (“identical, selfsame”) * Old High German selbsama (“identical, selfsame”)

Words from the same roots