What does altruistic mean?
Altruistic describes behaviour that is motivated by genuine concern for the welfare of others rather than by personal gain. An altruistic person donates, helps, or sacrifices without expecting reward, recognition, or repayment. The word functions as the adjective form of altruism, the principle of selfless concern first named by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in the nineteenth century. It appears frequently in discussions of charity, volunteering, ethics, and psychology, where researchers ask whether purely selfless action truly exists. Its connotations are almost entirely positive — generosity, compassion, moral goodness — though writers sometimes use it critically, questioning whether an apparently kind act conceals self-interest. Common collocations include 'altruistic behaviour', 'altruistic act', and 'purely altruistic motives'. Related words include the noun altruism, the agent noun altruist, and cognates tracing back through French and Italian to Latin alter, meaning 'other'. Understanding altruistic is useful because it names one of the most admired qualities across cultures: acting for others' sake alone.
adjectiveShowing a selfless concern for the well-being of others; willing to act for others' benefit without regard for one's own interests or advantage.
- Relating to or characterized by selfless concern for the welfare of others.
- (Of an action or motive) performed or motivated without regard for one's own advantage.
"Her altruistic decision to donate the entire prize to the shelter surprised no one who knew her."
"It was an altruistic gesture — she gave up her seat on the board so a younger colleague could lead."
"Scientists debate whether any human act is truly altruistic, or whether every kindness carries some hidden reward."
The word 'altruism' was coined by a French philosopher — Auguste Comte — in the 1800s, borrowing from Italian 'altrui', meaning 'of others': literally, a word built to describe living for someone else.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of altruistic
Altruistic derives from altruism, a term coined by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in the nineteenth century. Comte based it on the Italian word altrui, meaning 'belonging to others', which itself traces back to the Latin alter, meaning 'other'. The adjective altruistic formed alongside the noun as the concept entered English philosophical and scientific writing, where it remains central to debates in ethics and evolutionary biology.
Related word forms
How altruistic is actually used
Neutral to warmly positive connotation; common in both everyday and academic contexts (especially psychology, ethics, and evolutionary biology). Often used attributively ('an altruistic act') as well as predicatively. In philosophy and biology, 'altruistic' is sometimes used technically, which can differ subtly from everyday usage.
Easily confused with altruistic
Altruism is the noun naming the principle or practice of selfless concern for others, while altruistic is the adjective describing behaviour or motives that embody it.