selfless
adjEtymology From self + -less.
1
Having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself but for others; unselfish.
- In a selfless act of gratitude for saving his mother's life, Peter committed to giving money to his local breast cancer charity each year for the rest of his life.
- Because a certain degree of selfless behavior is essential to the smooth performance of any human group, selflessness run amok can crop up in political contexts.2011 March 10, Natalie Angier, “The Pathological Altruist Gives Till Someone Hurts”, in The New York Times:
- Derived terms
- selfless dependent, selflessly, selflessness
- Related terms
- detached