Today's Word

Altruistic

al-troo-IS-tik

Definition

(adjective) Showing unselfish concern for the well-being of others.

Example

Her altruistic decision to donate anonymously inspired others to follow her lead.

Word Origin

From French altruisme, based on Italian altrui, meaning “of or to others.”

Fun Fact

Philosophers have long debated whether true altruism exists—whether humans ever act without some personal benefit. The term was first popularized in the 19th century by Auguste Comte, who believed society should be built on selflessness rather than competition. Today, psychology suggests that altruistic acts often activate the brain’s reward centers—meaning that helping others literally feels good. Still, altruistic remains one of the most admirable words we have: a reminder that compassion is contagious.

Previous Words

Inimical

Today's Word

Inimical

ih-NIM-ih-kul

Definition

(adjective) Likely to cause harm or work against something; hostile and damaging to a person or cause.

Example

The startup’s chaotic management style proved inimical to creativity, driving away the very talent it needed most to survive.

Word Origin

Inimical derives from the Latin inimicalis, meaning “hostile” or “unfriendly,” rooted in inimicus — “enemy” — built from in- (“not”) and amicus (“friend”). It shares its ancestry with the word enemy, both tracing back to the same Latin root. It entered English in the 17th century, used to describe forces, conditions, or people that actively work against something rather than simply being indifferent to it.

Fun Fact

The Latin amicus — friend — sits at the root of a surprisingly large family of English words. Amiable, amicable, amity, and even amateur (originally meaning one who does something out of love) all share the same ancestor. Inimical is the dark twin of this family — the “un-friend,” so to speak — which makes it one of the rare words whose etymology tells you exactly what it means the moment you know its root. Linguists call this kind of transparent etymology a “motivated” word, where the meaning feels inevitable once the parts are understood.

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Altruistic

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Inimical

Inimical

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Inimical

Truculent

Obsequious

Abberation

Ubiquitous