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altruism

AL-troo-iz-um /ˈæl.tru.ɪ.zəm/

nounC1GRESATGMATCATUPSC

academicgeneral

Disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Implies acting to benefit another person even at a net personal cost or sacrifice to oneself.

The story behind the word. Coined in French as 'altruisme' by founding sociologist Auguste Comte in 1851, from Italian 'altrui' (of or to others), derived from Latin 'alter' (other). Comte introduced it to serve as the exact antonym to 'egoism'.

Word relationships

selflessness: Selflessness describes personal character, whereas altruism is the formal ethical principle or practice of aiding others.

egoism: The ethical position that self-interest is the foundation of moral action.
selfishness: Exclusive concern for one's own welfare regardless of others.

Commonly confused with

egoism: Egoism prioritizes self-interest above all else; altruism prioritizes the welfare of others.

Word family

altruistic (adjective): Showing selfless concern for the welfare of others
altruist (noun): A person who practices altruism

Collocations

effective altruism
reciprocal altruism
pure altruism
act of altruism

Example sentences

"Effective altruism combines heartfelt compassion with rigorous empirical evidence to maximize the real-world impact of charitable donations." Applied Ethics

Memory hook

ALTRU-ism = ALT-ER (other) people's needs come before your own. Putting others ahead of self.

When not to use

Do not use when someone helps others in expectation of reciprocal gain or public praise; true altruism requires selfless intent.

Fun facts

Evolutionary biologists spent decades trying to explain altruism until W.D. Hamilton formulated 'kin selection'—showing how sacrificing for relatives helps pass on shared genetic material.