other-regarding
|oth/er/re/gard/ing|
🇺🇸
/ˌʌðər.rɪˈɡɑrdɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˌʌðə.rɪˈɡɑːdɪŋ/
consider others
Etymology
'other-regarding' is a modern English compound formed from the adjective 'other' + the present participle 'regarding' (literally 'regarding other[s]').
'other' originates from Old English 'oþer' (othor), while 'regard' entered English via Old French 'regarder' (from re- + garder 'to look after'). The adjective 'other-regarding' is a 20th-century English coinage combining these elements to mean 'concerning others' or 'considerate of others'.
Originally a literal phrasing meaning 'concerning or relating to others', it evolved into an adjectival use meaning 'showing concern for others' and was later specialized in economics and social science to describe 'preferences/behavior that take others' welfare into account'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
showing concern for or consideration of other people; attentive to others' welfare or interests.
She is consistently other-regarding in her decisions, often prioritizing what will help her team.
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Adjective 2
in economics and social science, describing preferences or behavior that take into account the payoffs, welfare, or outcomes of other people (i.e., 'other-regarding preferences').
Some behavioral models assume agents are other-regarding rather than purely self-interested.
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Last updated: 2026/01/06 13:41