'selfhood' originates from English, specifically from the combination of 'self' and the suffix '-hood', where 'self' came from Old English 'self' meaning 'one's own person' and '-hood' came from Old English '-hād' meaning 'state, condition'.

'self' traces back to Old English 'self' (also written 'sylf'), from Proto-Germanic '*selbaz'; the suffix '-hood' comes from Old English '-hād' (state, condition). The compound 'self-hād' in early forms evolved into the modern English 'selfhood'.

Initially it meant 'the state or condition of being oneself (one's own person)', and over time it has retained that core meaning, coming to be used both in philosophical contexts and everyday language to denote individuality or self-awareness.