'self-denying' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'deny,' where 'self' refers to one's own person and 'deny' means to refuse or withhold.

'self-denying' evolved from the Middle English word 'denyen,' which meant to refuse or reject, combined with 'self' to form the modern term.

Initially, it meant 'refusing one's own desires,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.