Dictionary

self-realization en · NOUN

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- Proto-Indo-European *(H)reh₁-der. Proto-Indo-European *(H)reh₁ís Proto-Italic *reis Classical Latin rēs Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin reālisder. Old French reel French real Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izārebor. Old French -iser French -iser French réaliser Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ation Middle French -ation French -ation French réalisation English realization English self-realization From self- + realization.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The fulfillment of one's own abilities or capacities; self-actualization.
   • We must, as a movement, address the needs of our Gay/Lesbian youth whose experience of puberty, instead of providing a joyous self-realization and affirmational discovery, plunges them into a snake pit of self-loathing. 1994 October, Harry Hay, “Focussing On NAMBLA Obscures The Issues”, in Gay Community News, page 16:
2. (countable, uncountable) The direct experience of being, in relation to one's inner nature as an unbounded creator of one's reality.
3. (countable, uncountable) A realization about oneself.
   • 1934, comment by Abdullah Yusuf Ali on Sura 38 verse 24 of the Qur'an Judged by the highest standard of those nearest to God, the thought of self-pride and self-righteousness had to be washed off from him [King David] by his own act of self-realisation and repentance.

Forms