In a way that shows concern for others rather than for yourself; without thinking about your own benefits.
From English 'self' (Old English 'self') plus '-less' (meaning 'without') plus '-ly' (adverbial suffix). The concept became more prominent during the Victorian era when selflessness was heavily emphasized as a moral virtue.
Interestingly, neuroscience shows that helping others actually activates reward centers in the brain—so 'selfless' acts create selfish pleasure, which suggests the distinction between selfish and selfless might be more blurry than language suggests.
Selflessness has been disproportionately moralized as feminine virtue, pressuring women to erase self-interest while men are permitted ambition; this gendered expectation limits women's economic and political autonomy.
Use without gender coding; recognize that selflessness under coercion differs from chosen sacrifice, and that self-advocacy is not selfishness.
["altruistically","generously","with consideration for others"]
Women's liberation requires rejecting the moral imperative for self-erasure; healthy communities balance reciprocal care, not one-way self-sacrifice.
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