Region: US | Usage example: She paid it forward by buying coffee for the next customer.

Pay it forward

Meaning

Repay kindness by helping someone else instead of the original benefactor.

Used when encouraging generosity to ripple outward.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Modern altruism movement inspired by novels and movies.

Term popularized by a 1999 novel and subsequent charity campaigns.