altruism
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
Part or all of this page has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
[edit] Etymology
1853, from French altruisme, coined 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.[1] Apparently inspired by 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.
[edit] Noun
|
Singular |
Plural |
altruism (plural altruisms)
- Regard for others, both natural and moral; devotion to the interests of others; brotherly kindness; – opposed to egoism or selfishness.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Antonyms
- misanthropy (hatred of human race)
- egoism
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Translations
[edit] See also
- bell the cat
- misandry (hatred of males)
- misogyny (hatred of females)
[edit] External links
- altruism in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- altruism in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
[edit] References
- Notes:
[edit] Anagrams
[edit] Swedish
[edit] Noun
altruism c.
| Inflection for altruism | Singular | Plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| common | Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite |
| Base form | altruism | altruismen | altruismer | altruismerna |
| Possessive form | altruisms | altruismens | altruismers | altruismernas |
