selfless

Having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself but for others; unselfish.

Adjective

  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...

Origin

Etymology tree English self Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English selfless From self + -less.

Forms

more selfless most selfless

Related

detached

Derived

selfless dependent selflessly selflessness