Altruism Definition
Regard for others, both natural and moral without regard for oneself; devotion to the interests of others; brotherly kindness; selflessness; contrasted with egoism or selfishness.
- selflessness
- unpossessiveness
- self-immolation
- self-forgetfulness
- self-devotion
- unacquisitiveness
- self-subjection
- self-renouncement
- generosity
- benevolence
- philanthropy
- kindness
- kindliness
- kindheartedness
- grace
Other Word Forms of Altruism
Noun
Origin of Altruism
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English from 1853. From French altruisme, which was coined in 1830 by Auguste Comte from autrui (“of or to others”) + -isme, from Old French, from Latin alteri, dative of alter (“other”) (from which also English alter). Apparently inspired by the French Latin legal phrase l'autrui, from le bien, le droit d'autrui (“the good, the right of the other”). Introduced into English by George Henry Lewes in 1853, in his translation Comte’s Philosophy of the Sciences, 1, xxi.
From Wiktionary
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French altruisme probably from Italian altrui someone else from Latin alter other al-1 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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