unselfishness
/' n'selfi nis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The quality of being unselfish; the act or habit of putting the needs, happiness, or well-being of others before one's own. It is the opposite of selfishness and involves generosity, altruism, and a lack of concern for personal gain.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- Her lifelong unselfishness was evident in her dedication to charity work.
- The team's success was built on a foundation of mutual unselfishness and cooperation.
- True leadership requires a degree of unselfishness.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- Conceptual Usage: In philosophical or ethical discussions, unselfishness is often linked to altruism and moral virtue.
- The philosopher argued that pure unselfishness is a rare but admirable human trait.
- Contextual Emphasis: It can describe a general character trait or a specific act.
- His unselfishness in donating the entire prize money surprised everyone. (specific act)
- She is known for her unselfishness. (general trait)
Variants and Related Words
- Unselfish (adjective): Not selfish; generous.
- He made an unselfish decision to help his competitor.
- Unselfishly (adverb): In an unselfish manner.
- She worked unselfishly for the community's benefit.
Synonyms
- Altruism: The belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.
- Selflessness: The quality of caring more about other people's needs and wishes than your own.
- Generosity: The quality of being kind and generous.
Antonyms
- Selfishness: The quality or state of being selfish; a concern only for one's own welfare or interests.
- Egoism: An ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality; excessive concern for oneself.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- To put others first: This phrase is a direct expression of the principle of unselfishness.
- A good parent naturally puts their children first.
- Selfless service: A phrase often used to describe work done with complete unselfishness.
- The volunteers provided selfless service to the disaster victims.
Noun
- acting generously
- the quality of not putting yourself first but being willing to give your time or money or effort etc. for others
- rural people show more devotion and unselfishness than do their urban cousins