self-denying

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *swé?

Proto-Indo-European *selbʰ-der.

Proto-Germanic *selbaz

Old English self

Old English self-

Middle English self-

English self-

English denying

English self-denying

From self- + denying.

Adjective

self-denying (comparative more self-denying, superlative most self-denying)

1. Without concern for one's own advantage; selfless or self-sacrificing.

   Synonyms: self-sacrificing; see also Thesaurus:self-abnegatory