'self-care' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'care', where 'self' refers to one's own person and 'care' means the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.

'self-care' evolved from the concept of 'self-preservation' and 'self-maintenance', eventually becoming a recognized term in modern English.

Initially, it meant 'taking care of oneself', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.