'self-education' originates from the combination of 'self,' meaning 'one's own person,' and 'education,' which comes from Latin 'educatio,' meaning 'a bringing up or rearing.'

'self-education' evolved from the concept of 'self-taught' individuals who pursued knowledge independently, eventually becoming a recognized term in modern English.

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