The term “altruistic” is pronounced as “al-troo-is-tik”. The word has its origins in the French “altruiste”, from the Latin “alter”, meaning “other”, and the suffix “-ist”, meaning “one who does”. Altruism is the principle of doing good for others without expecting anything in return.
Altruism is often considered the opposite of selfishness. While selfishness is the act of putting one’s own needs before the needs of others, altruism is the act of putting the needs of others before one’s own. Altruistic behavior can be seen in many different forms, from small acts of kindness to large-scale humanitarian efforts.
