[a. Fr. altruisme formed by Comte on It. altrui (Fr. autrui) of or to others, what is another’s, somebody else, f. L. alteri huic ‘to this other,’ the dative afterwards passing into a general oblique case. See -ISM. Altruisme was apparently suggested by the Fr. law-phrase l’autrui, standing according to Littré for le bien, le droit d’autrui. Introd. into Eng. by the translators and expounders of Comte.] Devotion to the welfare of others, regard for others, as a principle of action; opposed to egoism or selfishness.
1853. Lewes, Comte’s Philos. Sc., I. xxi. 224. Dispositions influenced by the purely egotistic impulses we call popularly ‘bad,’ and apply the term ‘good’ to those in which altruism predominates.
1865. Mill, in Westm. Rev., July. To make altruism (a word of his [Comte’s] own coining) predominate over egoism.
1871. Farrar, Witn. Hist., iv. 144. Is altruism a sweeter, or better word than charity? Ibid. (1876), Marlb. Serm., xvi. 157. A good and wise modern philosopher summed up the law and duty of life in Altruism—Vive pour autrui—‘Live for others.’
1877. C. Row, Bampt. Lect. (1881), 106. The religion of humanity, whose great moral principle is altruism.
1879. Geo. Eliot, Theophr. Such, viii. 147. The bear was surprised at the badger’s want of altruism.
