adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET:S EH1 L F L AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself but for others; unselfish.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
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.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective
Meaning 2
showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: altruistic
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
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.
Across languages
Translations
58 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
غَيْرِيّ
(ḡayriyy)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Arabic:
إِيثَارِيّ
(ʔīṯāriyy)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Belarusian:
самаадда́ны
(samaaddány)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Belarusian:
самаахвя́рны
(samaaxvjárny)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Belarusian:
бескарысто́ўны
(bjeskarystówny)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Belarusian:
некары́слівы
(njekarýslivy)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Bulgarian:
самоотве́ржен
(samootvéržen)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Bulgarian:
безкори́стен
(bezkorísten)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Bulgarian:
себеотрицателен
(sebeotricatelen)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Chinese Mandarin:
無私 /无私
(wúsī)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Chinese Mandarin:
公而忘私
(gōng'érwàngsī)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Chinese Mandarin:
忘我的
(wàngwǒ de)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Czech:
obětavý
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Czech:
nesobecký
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Esperanto:
egoisma
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Finnish:
epäitsekäs
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Finnish:
pyyteetön
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
French:
dévoué
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
French:
altruiste
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Georgian:
თავდაუზოგავი
(tavdauzogavi)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Georgian:
თავდადებული
(tavdadebuli)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
German:
selbstlos
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
German:
uneigennützig
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Greek:
ανιδιοτελής
(anidiotelís)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Greek:
αφίλαυτος
(afílaftos)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Greek:
φιλάλληλος
(filállilos)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Greek:
αλτρουιστής
(altrouistís)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Hungarian:
önzetlen
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Italian:
altruista
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Italian:
altruistico
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Italian:
disinteressato
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Japanese:
無私無欲の
(mushimuyoku no)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Korean:
이타적
(itajeok)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Korean:
리타적
(ritajeok)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Korean:
사심 없는
(sasim eomneun)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Kyrgyz:
өзгөчүл
(özgöcül)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Macedonian:
несебичен
(nesebičen)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Manx:
neuhondagh
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Polish:
ofiarny
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Polish:
bezinteresowny
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Portuguese:
altruísta
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Portuguese:
desinteressado
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Romanian:
dezinteresat
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Russian:
самоотве́рженный
(samootvéržennyj)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Russian:
бескоры́стный
(beskorýstnyj)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Slovak:
obetavý
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Slovak:
nesebecký
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Spanish:
desinteresado
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Spanish:
abnegado
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Spanish:
altruista
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Swedish:
osjälvisk
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Tamil:
தன்னலமற்ற
(taṉṉalamaṟṟa)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Turkish:
fedakâr
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Turkish:
özgecil
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Turkish:
özverili
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Ukrainian:
самові́дданий
(samovíddanyj)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Ukrainian:
безкори́сливий
(bezkorýslyvyj)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
Ukrainian:
некори́сливий
(nekorýslyvyj)
— having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish
