'autoportrait' originates from French, specifically the word 'autoportrait', where 'auto-' meant 'self' (from Greek 'autos') and 'portrait' meant 'portrait'.

'autoportrait' developed in French from the prefix 'auto-' (from Greek 'autos', meaning 'self') combined with 'portrait' (from Old French 'portraire' / 'portrait', ultimately from Latin components related to 'protrahere'/'trahere'). The term was later borrowed into English as a French loanword without major change.

Initially it meant 'a portrait of oneself' in French, and this meaning has been retained when used in English as a loanword.