'self-absorbed' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'absorbed,' where 'self' refers to one's own person and 'absorbed' means 'deeply engaged or involved.'

'self-absorbed' evolved from the Middle English word 'absorben,' which meant 'to swallow up or engross,' and eventually became the modern English term 'absorbed.'

Initially, 'absorbed' meant 'to take in or soak up,' but over time it evolved to mean 'deeply engaged or engrossed,' leading to the modern usage of 'self-absorbed' as being overly focused on oneself.