altruism

[ al-troo-iz-uhm ]
See synonyms for altruism on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others (opposed to egoism).

  2. Animal Behavior. behavior by an animal that may be to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind, as a warning cry that reveals the location of the caller to a predator.

Origin of altruism

1
First recorded in 1850–55; from French altruisme, equivalent to autru(i) “others” (with -ui from Latin cui “to whom”; -l- restored from Latin alter “other”) + -isme -ism; popularized through translation of A. Comte, who perhaps coined it, on the model of égoisme egoism

Other words from altruism

  • hy·per·al·tru·ism, noun

Words Nearby altruism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use altruism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for altruism

altruism

/ (ˈæltruːˌɪzəm) /


noun
  1. the principle or practice of unselfish concern for the welfare of others

  2. the philosophical doctrine that right action is that which produces the greatest benefit to others

Origin of altruism

1
C19: from French altruisme, from Italian altrui others, from Latin alterī, plural of alter other

Derived forms of altruism

  • altruist, noun
  • altruistic, adjective
  • altruistically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for altruism

altruism

[ ăltrōō-ĭz′əm ]


  1. Instinctive behavior that is detrimental or without reproductive benefit to the individual but that favors the survival or spread of that individual's genes. The willingness of a subordinate member of a wolf pack to forgo mating and help care for the dominant pair's pups is an example of altruistic behavior. While the individual may not reproduce, or may reproduce less often, its behavior helps ensure that a close relative does successfully reproduce, thus passing on a large share of the altruistic individual's genetic material.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for altruism

altruism

[ (al-trooh-iz-uhm) ]


A selfless concern for others.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.