self-denial

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun Sacrifice of one's own desires or interests. synonym: abstinence.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun The act of denying one's own wishes, or refusing to satisfy one's own desires, especially from a moral, religious, or altruistic motive; the forbearing to gratify one's own appetites or desires.
• noun Synonyms Self-denial, Self-sacrifice, Austerity, Asceticism, self-abnegation, self-forgetfulness. The italicized words agree in representing the voluntary refusal or surrender of personal comfort or desires. Self-denial is to be presumed wise, necessary, or benevolent, unless indication is given to the contrary, it may be the denial of selfishness; it may be not only the refusal to take what one might have, but the voluntary surrender of what one has; it may be an act, a habit, or a principle. Self-sacrifice goes beyond self-denial in necessarily including the idea of surrender, as of comfort, inclination, time, health, while being also presumably in the line of a real duty. The definition of austerity is implied in that of austere in the comparison under austere; it stands just at the edge of that frame of mind which regards self-denial as good for its own sake; it pushes simplicity of living and the refusal of pleasure beyond what is deemed necessary or helpful to right living by the great mass of those who are equally earnest with the austere in trying to live rightly. Asceticism goes beyond austerity, being more manifestly excessive and more clearly delighting in self-mortification as a good in itself; it also generally includes somewhat of the disposition to retire from the world. See austere.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun The denial of one's self; forbearing to gratify one's own desires; self-sacrifice.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun The act of refusing to recognize unpleasant facts even when presented by one's self.
• noun Taking action that sacrifices one's own benefit for the good of others.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses
• noun renunciation of your own interests in favor of the interests of others
• noun the trait of practicing self discipline