Dictionary

selfless en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swé? Proto-Indo-European *selbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *selbaz Old English self Middle English self 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.

Meanings

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:

Forms

Deriveds

selfless dependent · selflessness · selflessly

Relateds

detached

Translations (58)

el ανιδιοτελής (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ka თავდადებული (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ar غَيْرِيّ (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · cmn 忘我的 (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · es desinteresado (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · be бескарысто́ўны (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ja 無私無欲の (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · be некары́слівы (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · pl ofiarny (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · sv osjälvisk (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · eo egoisma (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · es altruista (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ko 리타적 (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · hu önzetlen (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · de selbstlos (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ko 이타적 (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ta தன்னலமற்ற (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · el αφίλαυτος (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · de uneigennützig (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · uk некори́сливий (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · cmn 公而忘私 (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · fi epäitsekäs (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · be самаадда́ны (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · uk безкори́сливий (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · pl bezinteresowny (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · tr özgecil (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ko 사심 없는 (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · mk несебичен (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · tr fedakâr (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ru самоотве́рженный (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · cmn 無私 /无私 (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · bg самоотве́ржен (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · cs nesobecký (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ru бескоры́стный (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · fr dévoué (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · bg безкори́стен (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ar إِيثَارِيّ (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · fr altruiste (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · it altruista (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · bg себеотрицателен (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · uk самові́дданий (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · gv neuhondagh (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · el φιλάλληλος (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · it disinteressato (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · fi pyyteetön (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ky өзгөчүл (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · tr özverili (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · el αλτρουιστής (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · cs obětavý (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · sk obetavý (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ro dezinteresat (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · pt altruísta (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · ka თავდაუზოგავი (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · es abnegado (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · be самаахвя́рны (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · pt desinteressado (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · it altruistico (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish) · sk nesebecký (having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish)