Agape (pronounced “uh-GAH-pay”) is a special Greek word for a deep, selfless kind of love that gives without expecting anything in return. Unlike the affection you feel for a best friend or the excitement of a crush, agape means caring about someone's well-being simply because they're a person, not because of what they can do for you.

When a teacher stays after school to help a struggling student, that's agape. When someone volunteers at a food bank to help strangers they'll never meet, that's agape. This kind of love shows up in small moments too: sharing your lunch with someone who forgot theirs, or choosing to be kind to the new kid even when your other friends ignore them.

The word comes from ancient Greek and appears often in Christian teachings about loving your neighbor. It describes love as a choice and an action rather than just a feeling. You might not particularly like someone, but you can still show them agape by treating them with dignity and kindness.

Agape stands in contrast to selfish love that asks, “what's in it for me?” Instead, it asks, “how can I help?”