'self-preservation' originates from the combination of 'self,' meaning 'one's own person,' and 'preservation,' from Latin 'praeservare,' meaning 'to keep safe.'

'self-preservation' evolved from the Middle English word 'preservacioun,' which was influenced by the Latin 'praeservare,' and eventually became the modern English term 'self-preservation.'

Initially, it meant 'to keep oneself safe from harm,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.