désintéressé
/de.zɛ̃.te.ʁɛ.se/
The English word "selfless" is translated into French as désintéressé.
désintéressé is an adjective used to describe someone or something motivated by no concern for oneself, or acting in an unselfish manner.
Meaning: having, exhibiting or motivated by no concern for oneself, unselfish (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, désintéressé changes its ending to match the noun it describes. It takes the masculine plural form désintéressés by adding -s. To describe a feminine noun, use the form désintéressée by adding an extra -e. For feminine plural nouns, use désintéressées by adding -es.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables and is pronounced /de.zɛ̃.te.ʁɛ.se/.
Did you know?
- In French, désintéressé can also mean 'uninterested' or 'indifferent'. Depending on the context, it can describe someone who is being selfless or someone who simply does not care about the topic.
- The word désintéressé is built on the idea of being 'dis-interested', meaning one has no personal stake or private interest in the outcome of a situation.
- In a philosophical context, the term désintéressé is used to describe 'disinterested pleasure', a concept by Immanuel Kant regarding beauty that is enjoyed without wanting to possess the object.
Examples in context
- Elle était acclamée pour son comportement vertueux et désintéressé.She was hailed for her virtuous and selfless demeanor.This sentence shows how to use désintéressé to describe a virtuous demeanor.Tatoeba #13229703 by lbdx, translation #6909127 by swolesuki
- Marie est une personne très altruiste. Elle consacre beaucoup de son temps à aider les personnes dans le besoin.Marie is a very selfless person. She devotes a lot of her time to helping those in need.
- Il est connu pour son comportement désintéressé envers les autres.He is known for his selfless behavior towards others.
- Il a fait un don désintéressé pour l'association.He made a selfless donation to the association.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a volunteer's actions at a community center.
- HugoMarc aide tout le monde de manière désintéressée.Marc helps everyone in a selfless way.
- EmmaC'est un homme vraiment très généreux.He is a truly very generous man.
- HugoOui, il ne cherche jamais la reconnaissance.Yes, he never seeks recognition.
- EmmaSon dévouement est vraiment exemplaire.His dedication is truly exemplary.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry désintéressé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
