different between selfish vs altruism

English

Etymology

From self +? -ish. Compare Danish selvisk (“selfish”), Swedish självisk (“selfish”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?lf??/
• Rhymes: -?lf??

Adjective

selfish (comparative more selfish or selfisher, superlative most selfish or selfishest)

1. Holding one's own self-interest as the standard for decision making.
   • 1997, John Peniel, The Children Of The Law Of One & The Lost Teachings Of Atlantis, chapter 10, page 127

     “We all have both a selfish separate self, and an Inner Being that is One with the Universal Spirit. In this sense, every human has a sort of ‘split personality’. We are all kind of what you call ‘schitzy’ with these two sides, these two people living within us. And they are in total opposition. The free will dictates which of these two sides will have its way in our life, at every given moment.”

2. Having regard for oneself above others’ well-being.

Usage notes

• Said of people and their thoughts and actions, such as motives, desires, acts.

Synonyms

• egoistic
• egotistic
• egotistical
• self-centered
• greedy

Antonyms

• altruistic
• philanthropic
• selfless
• unselfish

Derived terms

• selfishly
• selfishness

Translations

See also

• self-serving

Anagrams

• Fishels, hisself

English

Alternative forms

• altruïsm

Etymology

English from 1853. From French altruisme, which was coined in 1830 by Auguste Comte from autrui (“of or to others”) +? -isme, from Old French, from Latin alteri, dative of alter (“other”) (from which also English alter). Apparently inspired by the French Latin legal phrase l'autrui, from le bien, le droit d'autrui (“the good, the right of the other”). Introduced into English by George Henry Lewes in 1853, in his translation Comte’s Philosophy of the Sciences, 1, xxi.

Noun

altruism (countable and uncountable, plural altruisms)

1. Regard for others, both natural and moral without regard for oneself; devotion to the interests of others; brotherly kindness.

   Synonyms: selflessness, philanthropy

   Antonyms: egoism, selfishness, misanthropy

   • 1995, George E. Vaillant, The Wisdom of the Ego, page 68,

     Altruism allows doing for others as one would be done by. Unlike reaction formation, which also gives to the object what the self desires, altruism leaves the self at least partly gratified. Unlike reaction formation, altruism tempers asceticism with pleasure. Unlike passive aggression and martyrdom, altruism allows the object to feel blessed and not afflicted. Altruism attracts people to the user; martyrdom repels them even as it holds them close in chains.

2. (biology, sociobiology) Action or behaviour that benefits another or others at some cost to the performer.

   Synonym: philanthropy

   • 2013 December 24, Laura Spinney, Goodwill hunting: Random ants of kindness, New Scientist,

     Altruism is a behaviour of an individual that benefits another at its own expense. […] She decided to investigate what motivates ants to undertake these dangerous missions, where they risk getting trapped themselves or, worse, eaten by predatory antlion larvae, which dig pits and lurk, semi-concealed, at the bottom with their jaws wide open. Such apparently selfless rescue behaviour is seen by many as one of the purest forms of altruism. […] Being nice to relatives is not pure altruism because they share your genes so, by helping them, you promote your own genetic heritage.

Derived terms

• altruist (“one who practises altruism”, agent noun)
• altruistic
• biological altruism

Translations

See also

• agape (“spiritual love for others”)
• bell the cat
• brotherly love
• misandry (“hatred of males”)
• misogyny (“hatred of females”)
• selflessness

Further reading

• altruism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• altruism in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• altruism in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

References

Anagrams

• muralist, traulism, ultraism

Romanian

Etymology

From French altruisme.

Noun

altruism n (uncountable)

1. altruism

Declension

Swedish

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?altr???sm/

Noun

altruism c

1. altruism

Declension

Related terms

• altruistisk
• altruist