The quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others. selflessness.
al·tru·ism. n. 1. Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness. 2. Zoology Instinctive behavior that is detrimental to the individual but favors the survival or spread of that individual's genes, as by benefiting its relatives. Noun. 1. altruism-the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others. selflessness. unselfishness-the quality of not putting yourself first but being willing to give your time or money or effort etc. for others; rural people show more devotion and unselfishness than do their urban cousins. altruism. n. 1. the principle or practice of unselfish concern for the welfare of others. 2. (Philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that right action is that which produces the greatest benefit to others. [C19: from French altruisme, from Italian altrui others, from Latin alterī, plural of alter other]. : behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or may be harmful to itself but that benefits others of its species. — al·tru·ist \-true-trü\ ist. — noun·al·tru·is \tic-ˌal-true-trü\ ˈis. — tik·adjective·al·tru·is·ti \-cal-ly(ti-)k\ ə. Lē adverb see altruism Defined-for english. language learners Examples of ALTRUISM. 1  A few skimpy corporate pensions were paid, but they were offered as much as departure incentives designed to promote business efficiency as expressions of altruism. — 2 W. 3  Andrew Achenbaum, Wilson Quarterly, Spring 2006. altruism. noun. 1  Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness. 2  Zoology Instinctive behavior that is detrimental to the individual but favors the survival or spread of that individual's genes, as by benefiting its relatives.
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