unselfishness

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Generosity

Nouns — unselfishness, generosity, disinterestedness, selflessness, devotion (to others); liberality, liberalism, magnanimity; benevolence; high-mindedness, nobility; impartiality, fairness, lack of prejudice; loftiness of purpose, chivalry, heroism (see courage); altruism, self-denial, -abnegation, or -sacrifice; Good Samaritanism, good works; self-immolation, martyrdom, suttee; labor of love. See giving.

Verbs — be disinterested or generous, make a sacrifice, put oneself in the place of others, do as one would be done by, not have a selfish bone in one's body.

Adjectives — unselfish, disinterested, selfless, benevolent, altruistic; chivalrous, heroic; charitable, liberal, generous, magnanimous, large-hearted, high- or noble-minded; objective; self-denying, self-sacrificing. See benevolence.

Quotation — Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (Bible).

Antonyms, see selfishness.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

Syn. disinterestedness, charity, generosity, liberality, openhandedness, philanthropy, altruism, magnanimity, munificence, benevolence, beneficence, helpfulness, self-denial, self-sacrifice, loving-kindness, devotion, self-effacement, incorruptibility, largesse, bounty.

Ant. greed*, selfishness, avarice.

III

(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun The quality or state of being generous: big-heartedness, bounteousness, bountifulness, free-handedness, generosity, generousness, great-heartedness, large-heartedness, lavishness, liberality, magnanimity, magnanimousness, munificence, openhandedness, unspanngness. See GIVE.