altruiste

Forms

altruiste (plural altruistes)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French altruisme + -iste, from the stem of the noun.^[2][3][4] Like the noun, it is first found in Auguste Comte's “Catéchisme positiviste” (1852).^[2][5]

The noun was formed as a counterpart to égoïsme, from the stem of autrui “other people”, after its etymon, Latin alter (“other”).^[2][5] It is said to have been coined about 1830, either by Comte or by Andrieux, one of his teachers at the École polytechnique.^[6][2][5] That word goes back to the Latin dative alterī;^[1][7] Etymonline suggests that the ⟨l⟩ of the French coinage may have been put back after the Latin word.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Catéchisme positiviste (1852) Comte compares the two ways the moral unity may be organised, “suivant que sa base inférieure serait égoïste ou altruiste” (according to whether its lower basis were selfish or altruistic).^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The adjective at first belonged to philosophy;^[3] it describes the feelings and acts in which altruisme shows itself.^[5] It is also used as a noun, but remains more learned than the noun altruisme.^[5] Littré recorded the adjective in 1863,^[8] and the noun “an altruistic person” is in the Larousse of 1907.^[9] English has altruist, which Etymonline takes from the French word.^[7]

Timeline

• 1852 – Comte uses altruiste in the Catéchisme positiviste.^[2][3][5]
• 1863 – Littré records the word.^[8]
• 1907 – The noun “altruistic person” is in Larousse.^[9]
• 1926 – The TLFi cites the noun from Paul Bourget.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to or marked by altruisme: des motifs altruistes.^[4][8][10]
2. Of a person: caring for the good of others without self-interest, unselfish.^[10][8][1]

Noun

1. An altruist, a person who cares for the good of others.^[4][10][1]

Related words

• altruisme
• autrui
• égoïste
• Latin alter
• English altruist

Usage notes

Its opposite is égoïste.^[4][10]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
10. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)