Synonyms for altruism


Grammar : Noun
Spell : al-troo-iz-uh m
Phonetic Transcription : ˈæl truˌɪz əm


Définition of altruism

Origin :
  • 1853, "unselfishness, opposite of egoism," from French altruisme, coined or popularized 1830 by French philosopher Auguste Comte (1798-1857), from autrui, from Old French altrui, "of or to others," from Latin alteri, dative of alter "other" (see alter). Apparently suggested to Comte by French legal phrase l'autrui, or in full, le bien, le droit d'autrui. The -l- is perhaps a reinsertion from the Latin word.
  • There is a fable that when the badger had been stung all over by bees, a bear consoled him by a rhapsodic account of how he himself had just breakfasted on their honey. The badger replied peevishly, "The stings are in my flesh, and the sweetness is on your muzzle." The bear, it is said, was surprised at the badger's want of altruism. ["George Eliot," "Theophrastus Such," 1879]
  • noun unselfish concern
Example sentences :
  • What are the instruments for securing the preponderance of Altruism?
  • Extract from : « Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 3 of 3) » by John Morley
  • Pleasurably, for a moment, he considered the altruism of that aphorism.
  • Extract from : « The Paliser case » by Edgar Saltus
  • I must get that part of me off in my journal, but a book about—Altruism?
  • Extract from : « Man and Maid » by Elinor Glyn
  • She knew almost as much about altruism as a dog does about the celestial sciences.
  • Extract from : « The Silver Lining » by John Roussel
  • It has been charmingand I am so interested in your experiment in altruism.
  • Extract from : « Ainslee's, Vol. 15, No. 5, June 1905 » by Various
  • The Associates were altruistic for the sake of altruism, not for the sake of its beneficiaries.
  • Extract from : « The Crack of Doom » by Robert Cromie
  • This is altruism, an' we're but actin' out what you been preachin'.
  • Extract from : « A Voice in the Wilderness » by Grace Livingston Hill
  • "My next assignment in altruism," says he, holdin' it to the light.
  • Extract from : « Shorty McCabe on the Job » by Sewell Ford
  • Altruism to Spencer was the enlightened self-interest of the race.
  • Extract from : « Introduction to the Science of Sociology » by Robert E. Park
  • Of all the isms of the day altruism is far the noblest and most promising.
  • Extract from : « Man And His Ancestor » by Charles Morris

Antonyms for altruism

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019