English
nonaltruism
Nonaltruism comes from French altruisme ‘altruism’, from autrui ‘others’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-1‘beyond, other’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂élyos1‘other, another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aljos1‘another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aliteros1‘other (of two)’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalterī1
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*alterui1next step skipped: Old French altre
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400autrui1‘others’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentautrui1‘others’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentaltruisme1‘altruism’
- English1500–presentaltruism1
- Englishtodaynonaltruism1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English nonaltruism
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-Wiktionary, English nonaltruism‘beyond, other’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂élyosWiktionary, English nonaltruism‘other, another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aljosWiktionary, English nonaltruism‘another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aliterosWiktionary, English nonaltruism‘other (of two)’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalterīWiktionary, English nonaltruism
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*alteruiWiktionary, English nonaltruismnext step skipped: Old French altre
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400autruiWiktionary, English nonaltruism‘others’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentautruiWiktionary, English nonaltruism‘others’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentaltruismeWiktionary, English nonaltruism‘altruism’
- English1500–presentaltruismWiktionary, English nonaltruism
- EnglishtodaynonaltruismWiktionary, English nonaltruism
Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos ‘one’
…
Proto-Germanic *nainaz ‘none, nought, zero’
Proto-West Germanic *nain
Old English nān ‘no, not any’
Middle English non ‘no, not any’
English non-
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘beyond, other’
…
Vulgar Latin *alterui
Old French autrui ‘others’
French autrui ‘of or to others’
French altruisme
English altruism
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘beyond, other’
as, all, old, adult, el, element, ultimate, elder, ellen, ultra, ou, alumni, alter, outrage, qualification, altitude, adolescent, alpine, altar, alt, abolish, alias, alto, alum, proletariat, retaliate, auld, alp, alimony, ulterior, coalesce, foetal, aad, eld, exalt, althea, altimeter, withal, 57 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos ‘other, another’
else, alienation, alienate, parallax, inalienable, 29 more
through Proto-Italic *aljos ‘another’
through Proto-Italic *aliteros ‘other (of two)’
Today it means
noun Absence of altruism; any system of behaviour that is not altruistic.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “nonaltruism”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / nonaltruism