A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

self-important --- having or showing an exaggerated estimation of one's own importance, 1775, from self + important (q.v.).

self-improvement --- 1748, from self + improvement (q.v.).

self-indulgence --- 1753, from self + indulgence (q.v.).

self-inflicted --- 1784, from self + inflict (q.v.).

self-interest --- 1649, from self + interest (q.v.).

selfish --- 1640, from self (q.v.). Said in Hacket's life of Archbishop Williams (1693) to have been coined by Presbyterians. In the 17c., synonyms included self-seeking (1628), self-ended and self-ful.

self-justification --- 1775, from self + justification (see justify).

selfless --- devoted to others' welfare or interest and not one's own, 1825, from self. First attested in Coleridge.

self-pity --- 1621, from self + pity (q.v.).

self-portrait --- 1831, from self + portrait (q.v.), translating Ger. Selbstbildnis.

self-possession --- command of one's emotions, 1745, from self + possession (q.v.).

self-preservation --- 1614, from self + preservation (q.v.). First attested in Donne.

self-reliance --- 1883, from self + reliance (q.v.). First recorded in J.S. Mill.

self-respect --- proper regard for the dignity of one's person, 1795, from self + respect (q.v.).

self-righteous --- c.1680, from self + righteous (q.v.).

self-sacrifice --- 1711 (implied in self-sacrific'd), from self + sacrifice (q.v.).

selfsame --- identical, 1408, from self + same. Written as two words until c.1600.

self-service (adj.) --- 1919, in ref. to grocery stores, from self + service (q.v.).

self-starter --- 1894, of engines, 1960, of persons (esp. workers), self + starter (see start). Self-starting, of motors, is attested from 1866.

self-sufficiency --- 1623, originally an attribute of God (translating Gk. autakreia), from self + sufficiency. Of mortals, self-sufficient "able to supply one's own needs" is recorded from 1589.

self-willed --- c.1470, from self + willed (see will).

Seljuk --- Turk. dynasty of 11c.-13c., 1603 (Selzuccian), from Turk. seljuq, name of reputed ancestor of the dynasty.

sell --- O.E. sellan "to give," from P.Gmc. *saljanan (cf. O.N. selja "to hand over, deliver, sell;" O.Fris. sella, O.H.G. sellen "to give, hand over, sell;" Goth. saljan "to offer a sacrifice"), perhaps a causative form of the root of O.E. sala "sale." One of the first things a student of Old English has to learn is that the word that looks like sell usually means "give." Meaning "to give up for money" had emerged by c.1000. An O.E. word for "to sell" was bebycgan, from bycgan "to buy." Slang meaning "to swindle" is from 1597. The noun phrase hard sell is recorded from 1952. To sell one's soul is from c.1570. Sell-by date is from 1972. To sell (someone) down the river is first recorded 1927, but probably from slavery days, on notion of sale from the Upper South to the cotton plantations of the Deep South (attested in this literal sense since 1851). To sell like hot cakes is from 1839.

Sellotape --- 1949, proprietary name, Great Britain.

sell-out --- corrupt contract that sacrifices public for private interest, 1862, from sell (v.) + out. The verbal phrase sell out "prostitute one's ideals or talents" is attested from 1888.

seltzer --- 1741, from Ger. Selterser (Wasser), a kind of mineral water, lit. "of Selters," village near Weisbaden in Hesse-Nassau, where the mineral water is found.

selvage --- c.1460, "edge of web or cloth so finished as to prevent raveling," apparently lit. "its own edge," a corruption of self + edge, on analogy of M.Flem. selvegge (cf. also Low Ger. sulfegge; Du. zelfkant, from kant "border;" M.H.G. selbende, Ger. Selbend, lit. "self-end").

semantic --- 1894, from Fr. sémantique, applied by Michel Bréal (1883) to the psychology of language, from Gk. semantikos "significant," from semainein "to show, signify, indicate by a sign," from sema "sign" (Doric sama). Semantics "the study of the relationship between linguistic symbols and their meanings" is recorded from 1893. Earlier this was called semasiology (1847, from Ger. Semasiologie, 1829).

semaphore --- apparatus for signaling, 1816, probably from Fr. sémaphore, lit. "a bearer of signals," ult. from Gk. sema "sign, signal" + phoros "bearer," from pherein "to carry" (see infer).

semblance --- c.1300, "fact of appearing to view," from O.Fr. semblance, semblant "likeness, appearance," from sembler "to seem, appear," from L. simulare "to resemble, imitate," from similis "like" (see similar). Meaning "person's appearance or demeanor" is attested from c.1400; that of "false, assumed or deceiving appearance" is from 1599. Meaning "person or thing that resembles another" is attested from 1513.

Semele --- daughter of Cadmus and mother of Dionysus, from L., from Gk. Semele, a Thraco-Phrygian earth goddess, from Phrygian Zemele "mother of the earth," probably cognate with O.C.S. zemlja "earth," L. humus "earth, ground, soil."

semen --- 1398, from L. semen "seed," from PIE *si-so-, reduplication of base *se- "to sow" (cf. L. serere "to sow," O.Prus. semen "seed," O.C.S. seme, O.H.G. samo; see sow (v.)).

semester --- 1827, from Ger. Semester, from L. semestris, in cursus semestris "course of six months," from semestris "of six months," from sex "six" + mensis "month."

semi- --- from L. semi- "half," from PIE *semi- (cf. Skt. sami "half," Gk. hemi- "half," O.E. sam-, Goth. sami- "half"). O.E. cognate sam- was used in such compounds as samhal "poor health," lit. "half-whole;" samsoden "half-cooked," figuratively "stupid" (cf. half-baked); samcucu "half-dead," lit. "half-alive;" and the last survivor of the group, sand-blind "dim-sighted" (q.v.). The Latin-derived form has been common in forming native words since 15c.

semi-automatic --- in ref. to firearms, 1911, from semi- + automatic (q.v.).

semicircle --- 1526, from semi- + circle. Semicircular is attested from 1432.

semicolon --- 1644, a hybrid coined from L. semi- (see semi-) + Gk. kolon "limb, part" (see colon (1)).

semiconductor --- 1838, "material whose electrical conductivity is between that of a conductor and that of an insulator," from semi- + conductor. Modern very specific sense is recorded from 1931.

semi-detached --- in ref. to houses, 1859, from semi- + p.t. of detach (q.v.).

seminal --- 1398, "of seed or semen," from O.Fr. seminal (14c.), from L. seminalis, from semen (gen. seminis) "seed" (see semen). Fig. sense of "full of possibilities" is attested from 1639.

seminar --- 1887, from Ger. Seminar "group of students working with a professor," from L. seminarium "breeding ground, plant nursery" (see seminary). Sense of "meeting for discussion of a subject" first recorded 1944.

seminary --- c.1440, "plot where plants are raised from seeds," from L. seminarium "plant nursery," figuratively, "breeding ground," from seminarius "of seed," from semen (gen. seminis) "seed" (see semen). Meaning "school for training priests" first recorded 1581; commonly used for any school (especially academies for young ladies) from 1585 to 1930s. Seminarian "seminary student" is attested from 1584.

Seminole --- 1763, from Creek (Muskogean) simano:li, earlier simalo:ni "wild, untamed, runaway," from Amer.Sp. cimarron (see maroon (v.)).

semiotics --- study of signs and symbols with special regard to function and origin, 1880, from Gk. semeiotikos "observant of signs," adj. form of semeiosis "indication," from semeioun "to signal," from sema "sign."

semi-professional --- 1897, from semi- + professional (q.v.).

Semite --- 1847, "Jew, Arab, Assyrian, Aramæan," from Mod.L. Semita, from L.L. Sem "Shem," one of the three sons of Noah (Gen. x:21-30), regarded as the ancestor of the Semites (in the days when anthropology was still bound by the Bible), from Heb. Shem. Semitic (1813 of languages, 1826 of persons) is probably from Ger. semitisch (first used by Ger. historian August Schlözer, 1781), denoting the language group that includes Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic, Assyrian, etc. In recent use often with the specific sense "Jewish," but not historically so limited.

semitrailer --- 1919, from semi- (q.v.) + trailer. Short form semi is attested from 1942.

semolina --- 1797, alteration of It. semolino, dim. of semola "bran," from L. simila "the finest flour," probably from the same Semitic source as Gk. semidalis "the finest flour" (cf. Assyrian samidu, Syrian semida "fine meal").

semper- --- comb. form meaning "always, ever," from L. semper "one, uniform, same," from PIE *sem- "one, together" (cf. L. semel "once," similis "like;" see same).

sempiternal --- c.1400, from O.Fr. sempiternel (13c.) or L.L. sempiternalis, from L. sempiternus, from L. semper "always" (see semper-) + æternus "eternal" (see eternal).

senate --- c.1205, "legal and administrative body of ancient Rome," from O.Fr. senat or L. senatus "highest council of the state in ancient Rome," lit. "council of elders," from senex (gen. senis) "old man, old" (see senile). Attested from c.1374 in ref. to governing bodies of free cities in Europe; of national governing bodies from 1560; specific sense of upper house of U.S. legislature is recorded from 1775.

send --- O.E. sendan "send, send forth, throw," from P.Gmc. *sandijanan (cf. O.S. sendian, O.N., O.Fris. senda, M.L.G., M.Du. senden, Goth. sandjan), causative form of base *sinþan, denoting "go, journey" (source of O.E. sið "way, journey," O.N. sinn, Goth. sinþs "going, walk, time"), from PIE base *sent- "to head for, go" (cf. Lith. siusti "send;" see sense). Also used in O.E. of divine ordinance (cf. godsend, from O.E. sand "messenger, message," from P.Gmc. *sandaz "that which is sent"). Slang sense of "to transport with emotion, delight" is recorded from 1932, in Amer.Eng. jazz slang. Send-off "farewell" (especially a funeral) is from 1872.

send-up (n.) --- a spoof, British slang, 1958, from earlier verb phrase send up "to mock, make fun of" (1931), from send + up, perhaps a transf. sense of the public school term for "to send a boy to the headmaster" (usually for punishment), which is attested from 1821.

Seneca --- 1616, from Du. Sennecas, collective name for the upper N.Y. Iroquois tribes, of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Mahican name for the Oneida or their village. Earlier sinnekens, senakees; form probably infl. by the name of the ancient Roman philosopher.

senescent --- 1656, from L. scenescens, prp. of senescere "to grow old," from senex "old" (see senile).

seneschal --- 1393, from O.Fr. seneschal, from Frankish Latin siniscalcus, from P.Gmc. *sini-skalk "senior servant;" first element cognate with L. senex "old" (see senile); second element deom P.Gmc. *skalkoz "servant" (cf. Goth. skalks, O.H.G. scalc, O.E. scealc; see marshal).

senile --- 1661, "suited to old age," from Fr. sénile, from L. senilis "of old age," from senex (gen. senis) "old, old man," from PIE base *sen- "old" (cf. Skt. sanah "old;" Avestan hana- "old;" O.Pers. hanata- "old age, lapse of time;" Armenian hin "old;" Gk. enos "old, of last year;" Lith. senas "old," senis "an old man;" Goth. sineigs "old" (used only of persons), sinistra "elder, senior;" O.N. sina "dry standing grass from the previous year;" O.Ir. sen, O.Welsh hen "old"). Meaning "weak or infirm from age" is first attested 1848.

senior --- 1287, from L. senior "older," comparative of senex (gen. senis) "old," from PIE base *sen- (see senile). Original use in Eng. was as addition to a personal name when father and son had the same name; meaning "higher in rank, longer in service" first recorded 1513. The L. word yielded titles of respect in many languages, cf. Fr. sire, Sp. señor, It. signor. Noun sense of "fourth-year student" is from 1741, from earlier general sense of "advanced student" (1612). Seniority "priority on office or service" is from 1450. Senior citizen first recorded 1938, Amer.Eng.

senorita --- a young Spanish lady, 1823, from Sp. señorita, Sp. title corresponding to Eng. "Miss," dim. of señora, fem. of señor (see senior).

senryu --- form of Japanese poetry, 1938, from name of Karai Senryu (1718-90), Japanese poet.

sensation --- 1615, "a reaction to external stimulation of the sense organs," from M.L. sensationem (nom. sensatio), from L.L. sensatus "endowed with sense, sensible," from L. sensus "feeling" (see sense). Meaning "state of shock, surprise, in a community" first recorded 1779.

sensational --- aiming at violently excited effects, 1863, from sensation in its secondary sense. Sensationalism in literature, journalism, etc., first recorded 1865.

sense (n.) --- c.1400, "faculty of perception," also "meaning or interpretation" (esp. of Holy Scripture), from O.Fr. sens, from L. sensus "perception, feeling, undertaking, meaning," from sentire "perceive, feel, know," prob. a fig. use of a lit. meaning "to find one's way," from PIE base *sent- "to go" (cf. O.H.G. sinnan "to go, travel, strive after, have in mind, perceive," Ger. Sinn "sense, mind," O.E. sið "way, journey," O.Ir. set, Welsh hynt "way"). Application to any one of the external or outward senses (touch, sight, hearing, etc.) first recorded 1526.

senseless --- 1557, "without sensation," from sense (n.) + -less. Of actions, etc., "devoid of purpose, proceeding from lack of intelligence," it is attested from 1579.

sensible --- c.1374, "perceptible to the senses," from L. sensibilis "having feeling, perceptible by the senses," from sensus, pp. of sentire "perceive, feel" (see sense). Meaning "aware, cognizant (of something)" is recorded from c.1412. Meaning "having good sense, reasonable" first recorded c.1530. Of clothes, shoes, etc., "practical rather than fashionable" it is attested from 1855. Sensibility "capacity for refined emotion" is from 1756.

sensibly --- c.1425, "in a manner perceived to the senses," from sensible (q.v.). Meaning "with good sense" is attested from 1755.

sensitive --- c.1400, "having the function of sensation," from M.Fr. sensitif (13c.), from M.L. sensitivus "capable of sensation," from L. sensus, pp. of sentire "feel perceive" (see sense). Meaning "easily affected" (with ref. to mental feelings) first recorded 1816; meaning "having intense physical sensation" is from 1849. Original meaning is preserved in sensitive plant (1633). Meaning "involving national security" is recorded from 1953. Sensitivity training is first attested 1954. Sensitize first recorded 1856, originally in photography; of persons from 1880.

sensor (n.) --- 1958, from an adj. first recorded 1865, shortened from sensory (q.v.).

sensory (adj.) --- 1749, from L. sensorium, from sensus, pp. of sentire "to perceive, feel" (see sense).

sensual --- c.1450, "of or pertaining to the senses," from L.L. sensualis (see sensuality). Meaning "connected with gratification of the senses," esp. "lewd, unchaste" is attested from 1477.

sensuality --- c.1340, "the part of man that is concerned with the senses," from O.Fr. sensualité, from L.L. sensualitatem (nom. sensualitas) "capacity for sensation," from L. sensualis "endowed with feeling, sensitive," from sensus "feeling" (see sense). Chiefly "animal instincts and appetites," hence "the lower nature regarded as a source of evil, lusts of the flesh" (1621).

sensuous --- 1641, "pertaining to the senses" coined (from L. sensus) by Milton to recover the original meaning of sensual (q.v.) and avoid the lascivious connotation that the older word had acquired by Milton's day, but by 1870 sensuous, too, had begun down the same path. Rare before Coleridge popularized it (1814).

Sensurround --- 1974, proprietary name for movie special effects apparatus, coined from sense + surround.

sentence --- c.1290, "doctrine, authoritative teaching," from O.Fr. sentence (12c.), from L. sententia "thought, meaning, judgment, opinion," from sentientem, prp. of sentire "be of opinion, feel, perceive" (see sense). Loss of first -i- in L. by dissimilation. Meaning "punishment imposed by a court" is from c.1300; that of "grammatically complete statement" is attested from 1447, from notion of "meaning," then "meaning expressed in words." The verb meaning "to pass judgment" is recorded from c.1400.

sententious --- 1440, "full of meaning," from M.Fr. sententieux, from L. sententiosus "full of meaning, pithy," from sententia "opinion, maxim" (see sentence). Meaning "addicted to pompous moralizing" first recorded 1598.

sentient --- 1632, "capable of feeling," from L. sentientem (nom. sentiens) "feeling," prp. of sentire "to feel" (see sense). Meaning "conscious" (of something) is from 1815.

sentiment --- c.1374, sentement, "personal experience, one's own feeling," from O.Fr. sentement (12c.), from M.L. sentimentum "feeling, affection, opinion," from L. sentire "to feel" (see sense). Meaning "what one feels about something" (1639) and modern spelling seem to be a re-introduction from Fr. (where it was spelled sentiment by this time). A vogue word with wide application mid-18c., commonly "a thought colored by or proceeding from emotion" (1762), especially as expressed in literature or art. The 17c. sense is preserved in phrases such as my sentiments exactly.

sentimental --- 1749, "pertaining to or characterized by sentiment," from sentiment (q.v.). At first without pejorative connotations; meaning "having too much sentiment" had emerged by 1793 (sentimentalist).

sentinel --- 1579, from M.Fr. sentinelle, from It. sentinella, perhaps (via a notion of "perceive, watch"), from sentire "to hear, perceive," from L. senire "feel" (see sense).

sentry --- 1611, originally "watchtower;" perhaps a shortened variant of sentinel (q.v.), which had a variant form centrinel (1598), or worn down from sanctuary, on notion of "shelter for a watchman." Meaning "military guard posted around a camp" is first attested 1632. Sentry-box is from 1728.

sepal --- leaf of the calyx, 1821, from Fr. sépal, from Mod.L. sepalum (H.J. de Necker, 1790), coined from L. separatus "separate" + petalum "petal."

separate (v.) --- 1393 (implied in separable), from L. separatus, pp. of separare "to pull apart," from se- "apart" (see secret) + parare "make ready, prepare" (see pare). Sever (q.v.) is a doublet, via French. The adj. meaning "detached, kept apart" is first recorded 1600, from the pp. used as an adjective. Separates "articles of (women's) clothing that may be worn in various combinations" is attested from 1945. Separatism (1628) and separatist (1608) were first used in religious sense. Separate but equal in ref. to U.S. segregation policies on railroads is attested from 1890. Separate development, official name of apartheid in South Africa, is from 1955.

separation --- 1413, from O.Fr. separation, from L. separationem, n. of action from separare (see separate). Specific sense of "sundering of a married couple" is attested from 1600. Separation of powers first recorded 1788, in "Federalist" (Hamilton), from Fr. séparée de la puissance (Montesquieu, 1748). Separation anxiety first attested 1943.

Sephardim --- pl. of Sephardi "a Spanish or Portuguese Jew" (1851), from Mod.Heb. Sepharaddim "Spaniards, Jews of Spain," from Sepharad, name of a country mentioned only in Obad. v:20, probably meaning "Asia Minor" or a country in it (Lydia, Phrygia), but identified by the rabbis after Jonathan Targum as "Spain."

sepia --- rich brown pigment, 1821, from It. seppia "cuttlefish" (borrowed with that meaning in Eng. by 1569), from L. sepia "cuttlefish," from Gk. sepia, related to sepein "to make rotten" (cf. sepsis). The color was that of brown paint or ink prepared from the fluid secretions of the cuttlefish. Meaning "a sepia drawing" is recorded from 1863.

sepoy --- native of India in British military service, 1717, from Port. sipae, from Urdu sipahi, from Pers. sipahi "soldier, horseman," from sipah "army." The Sepoy Mutiny was 1857-8.

sepsis --- 1876, from Mod.L. sepsis, from Gk. sepsis "putrefaction," from sepein "to rot," of unknown origin.

September --- late O.E., from L. September, from septem "seven" (see seven). So called because it was the seventh month of the old Roman calendar, which began the year in March; Julian calendar reform (46 B.C.E.) shifted the new year back two months. For -ber suffix, see December. Replaced O.E. hærfestmonað, haligmonað. Septembrist (1840) in Fr. history refers to the massacre of the political prisoners in Paris, Sept. 2-5, 1792.

septet --- 1828, from Ger. Septett, from L. septum "seven" (see seven).

septic --- 1605, from L. septicus "of or pertaining to putrefaction," from Gk. septikos "characterized by putrefaction," from sepein "cause to rot" (see sepsis). Septic tank is attested from 1902.

septicemia --- 1866, Mod.L. septicæmia, from Fr. septicoemi, coined by Fr. physician Pierre-Adolphe Piorry (1794-1879) in 1837 from Gk. septikos (see septic) + haima "blood" (see -emia).

septuagenarian (adj.) --- seventy-year-old, 1793, from L. septuagenarius "containing seventy," from septuageni "seventy each," related to septuaginta "seventy" (see Septuagint). Noun meaning "a 70-year-old person" first recorded 1805.

Septuagint --- Greek version of the Old Testament, 1633, from L.L. septuaginta interpretes "seventy interpreters," from L. septuaginta "seventy," from septem "seven" + -ginta "tens." So called in allusion to the (false) tradition that the translation was done 3c. B.C.E. by 70 or 72 Jewish scholars from Palestine and completed in 70 or 72 days. Often denoted by Roman numerals, LXX. The translation is believed now to have been carried out at different times by Egyptian Jews.

septum --- partition between the nostrils, 1698, Mod.L., from L. sæptum "a fence," from neut. pp. of sæpire "to hedge in," from sæpes "hedge, fence."

sepulcher --- c.1200, "tomb, burial place," esp. the cave where Jesus was buried outside Jerusalem (Holy Sepulcher or Saint Sepulcher), from O.Fr. sepulcre (11c.), from L. sepulcrum "grave, tomb," from root of sepelire "to bury," originally "to perform rituals on a corpse" (cf. Skt. saparyati "honors"). No reason for the -ch- spelling. Sepulchral "gloomy" is from 1711.

sequacious --- given to ollowing leaders, 1640, from L. sequac-, stem of sequax "that follows, a follower," from sequi "to follow" (see sequel).

sequel --- c.1420, "train of followers," from O.Fr. sequelle, from L.L. sequela "that which follows, result, consequence," from sequi "to follow," from PIE base *sekw- (cf. Skt. sacate "accompanies, follows," Avestan hacaiti, Gk. hepesthai "to follow," Lith. seku "to follow," L. secundus "second, the following," O.Ir. sechim "I follow"). Meaning "consequence" is attested from 1477. Meaning "story that follows and continues another" first recorded 1513.

sequence --- 1387, "hymn sung after the Hallelujah and before the Gospel," from O.Fr. sequence "answering verses" (13c.), from M.L. sequentia "a following, a succession," from L. sequentem (nom. sequens), prp. of sequi "to follow" (see sequel). In Church use, a partial loan-translation of Gk. akolouthia, from akolouthos "following." General sense of "succession," also "a sequence at cards," appeared 1575.

sequester --- c.1380, from O.Fr. sequestrer (14c.), from L.L. sequestrare "to place in safekeeping," from L. sequester "trustee, mediator," probably originally "follower," related to sequi "to follow" (see sequel). Meaning "seize by authority, confiscate" is first attested 1513.

sequin --- 1617, name of a former Italian and Turkish gold coin, from Fr. sequin, from It. zecchino, from zecca "a mint," from Ar. sikkah "a minting die." Meaning "ornamental disc or spangle" is first recorded 1882, from resemblance to a gold coin.

sequoia --- large American coniferous tree, 1866, from Mod.L., tree genus name given by Endlicher (1847), in honor of Sequoya (1760-1843), Cherokee man who invented a system of writing for his people's language, whose name is from Cherokee (Iroquoian) Sikwayi, a word of unknown etymology. Popularly also called Wellingtonia, the name given by Lindley (1853).