English Meaning & Definitions
Showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish.
- “She made an altruistic donation to the children's hospital without expecting any recognition.”
- “His decision to volunteer abroad was driven by purely altruistic motives.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “altruistic”.
Coined in the 19th century by French philosopher Auguste Comte as 'altruisme' (derived from the Italian 'altrui', meaning 'others' or 'of others', originating from the Latin 'alter', meaning 'other'). It was introduced to English as 'altruism' around 1853, with the adjective 'altruistic' following shortly after.
Think of 'al' (all) + 'true' + 'istic': an altruistic person is truly dedicated to helping all others.
Frequently Asked Questions About “altruistic”
1. What is the meaning of “altruistic” in English?
In English, altruistic (adjective) is defined as: “Showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish.”.
2. How do you use “altruistic” in a sentence?
“She made an altruistic donation to the children's hospital without expecting any recognition.”
3. What are English synonyms of “altruistic”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “altruistic”?
Coined in the 19th century by French philosopher Auguste Comte as 'altruisme' (derived from the Italian 'altrui', meaning 'others' or 'of others', originating from the Latin 'alter', meaning 'other'). It was introduced to English as 'altruism' around 1853, with the adjective 'altruistic' following shortly after.
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.