'self-destruct' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'destruct', where 'self' refers to one's own and 'destruct' means to destroy.

'self-destruct' evolved from the concept of self-destruction, which has been used in various contexts, including military and technology, to describe a system that destroys itself.

Initially, it meant 'to destroy oneself', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.