'self-sacrifice' originates from the combination of 'self' and 'sacrifice', where 'sacrifice' comes from Latin 'sacrificium', meaning 'an offering to a deity'.

'sacrificium' transformed into the Old French word 'sacrifice', and eventually became the modern English word 'sacrifice'.

Initially, it meant 'an offering to a deity', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'giving up one's own interests for others'.