What does altruism mean?
Altruism is the principle or practice of selfless concern for the wellbeing of others — acting to benefit other people even at some cost or risk to oneself, without expectation of reward. It stands in contrast to egoism and selfishness, and it underlies much of what we admire in charity, caregiving, volunteering, and everyday kindness. The word was coined in the nineteenth century by the French philosopher Auguste Comte, who derived it from the French term for 'others' (autrui), and it quickly entered English as a key concept in moral philosophy. Today it spans several domains: in everyday speech it describes generous, other-regarding behaviour; in psychology it names genuinely selfless motivation; and in biology it refers to behaviour that benefits another organism at a cost to the actor, such as worker bees sacrificing themselves for the hive. Whether true altruism exists — or whether all giving is ultimately self-interested — remains a lively philosophical debate, which is part of what makes the word so enduringly interesting.
nounThe principle or practice of unselfish concern for the welfare of others, involving selfless acts done for their benefit rather than one's own.
- Disinterested concern for the welfare of others; selfless behaviour undertaken for their benefit rather than one's own.
- (In biology and psychology) Behaviour by an organism that reduces its own fitness or interests while benefiting another.
"Her quiet altruism transformed the lives of everyone in the village."
"Her decision to donate the entire inheritance to charity was pure altruism."
"Biologists debate whether apparent altruism in animal colonies is truly selfless or driven by genetic self-interest."
Rarely pluralised; 'altruisms' occasionally appears in academic writing to refer to distinct instances or types of altruistic behaviour, but the singular is standard.
"The study compared different altruisms observed across cultures."
The word 'altruism' was coined by a French philosopher who also founded the religion of humanity — and he based it on the everyday French word for 'other people.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of altruism
Altruism derives from the French word 'autrui', meaning 'other people', which itself traces back through Old French to Latin 'alter', meaning 'other'. The English word was introduced in the nineteenth century by the French philosopher Auguste Comte as part of his system of positivism, where it denoted living for others as a moral ideal. Cognates sharing the same Latin root include 'alter ego' and words built on 'alternative' and 'alien', all ultimately reflecting the idea of 'the other'.
Related word forms
How altruism is actually used
Altruism carries a strongly positive connotation and is used in both everyday and academic contexts. In philosophy and biology it has technical senses (psychological vs. biological altruism) that may differ from ordinary usage. The word is formal-to-neutral in register and appears frequently in discussions of ethics, charity, and evolutionary theory.
Easily confused with altruism
An altruist is a person who practices altruism, while altruism is the abstract quality or principle itself.