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altruism

Etymology and origin of the English word altruism

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈæl.tɹu.ɪz.əm/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French altruisme,[2][3][4][5][6] coined or popularized by the philosopher Auguste Comte on the model of égoïsme,[4][6] from autrui “others”,[3][4][5][6] from Old French altrui,[3][4] from a Vulgar Latin form of Latin alter (“other”).[3][4][5][6] The -l- was reinserted on the Latin model.[4][6] The American Heritage Dictionary instead takes it from Italian altrui.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Devotion to the welfare of others as a principle of action, the opposite of egoism (1853).[3][4][5][7]

Semantic evolution

The word entered English through translations of Comte.[6] In 19th-century ethics Herbert Spencer argued that altruism was as essential as egoism.[4] In animal behaviour it means action that benefits others of the species at some cost to the animal itself.[5][6][1]

Timeline

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness.
  2. In animal behaviour, action that benefits others of the species at a cost to oneself.

Word family

  • altruist
  • altruistic
  • altruistically
  • hyperaltruism
  • egoism
  • alter

Usage notes

Random House notes that altruism is opposed to egoism.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Altruism.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/altruism. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·