self-declared
|self-de-clared|
🇺🇸
/ˌsɛlf.dɪˈklɝd/
🇬🇧
/ˌsɛlf.dɪˈkleəd/
(self-declare)
proclaimed oneself
Etymology
'self-declared' originates from modern English compounding of 'self' and the verb 'declare'. 'self' comes from Old English 'self' meaning 'the same person', and 'declare' comes ultimately from Latin 'declarare', where the prefix 'de-' meant 'completely' or 'down/from' and 'clarare' meant 'to make clear'.
'declare' entered English via Old French 'declarer' and Middle English forms (e.g. 'declaren'), adapting from Latin 'declarare'; 'self' is from Old English 'self', and the compound 'self-declared' developed in modern English by joining them to describe someone who declares their own status.
Initially, 'declare' meant 'to make clear or to show', and when combined with 'self' the compound originally meant 'to declare oneself'; over time 'self-declared' came to be used adjectivally to mean 'proclaimed by oneself (often without official sanction)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past participle form of 'self-declare' — to declare oneself to be something.
She had self-declared her candidacy before the official announcement.
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Adjective 1
describing someone or something that has declared themselves to have a particular status, role, or quality, often without official recognition (e.g., a self-declared expert).
He was a self-declared expert on the subject, though he had no formal qualifications.
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Last updated: 2025/10/19 10:23