self-directed

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 directed

English self-directed

From self- + directed.

Adjective

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

1. Directed, independently by oneself without external control or constraint; directed for oneself.
2. Directed at oneself.
   • 1976 December 11, J. D. Sitler, David Griffiths, “Marriage: Straight Or On The Rocks?”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 24, page 9:

     I see a lot of self-directed anger on the part of the straight wives: What's wrong with me that I can't keep this man attracted to me? What's wrong with me in the first place for attracting a gay man?

Synonyms

• autonomous

Related terms

• selfdirection