'self-importance' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'importance', where 'self' refers to one's own person and 'importance' refers to the state of being important.

'self-importance' evolved from the Middle English word 'self' and the Old French word 'importance', eventually becoming the modern English term 'self-importance'.

Initially, it meant 'the importance of oneself', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'an exaggerated sense of one's own value'.