compersionist

Etymology

From compersion + -ist.

Why this word is great

COMPERSIONIST — [Noun] One who experiences compersion, a feeling of joy when a loved one finds happiness with another person. From compersion (coined in the early 1990s by the Kerista commune, from French compère, "companion," influenced by compassion) + -ist ("one who practices or believes in"). Unlike the jealous (who withers at the thought of a loved one’s other affections) or the polyamorist (who pursues multiple loves of their own), the compersionist thrives on the happiness of others—not out of obligation, but genuine delight. It is the warmth of a smile at hearing a partner’s first-date story, the quiet pride in their newfound laughter, the absence of the gnawing hunger to be the sole source of joy—a rare and radical act of love, unbound by possession.

noun

  1. One who experiences compersion.“But in the light of my compersionism I needed to know; had my reaction been authentic? Or had I responded from the same, conditioned blind anger people seemed to have collectively adapted ever since Christianity invented monogamy? Had my response been compersionist worthy?”