voluntary

English Online Dictionary. What means voluntary‎? What does voluntary mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English *voluntarie, from Old French volontaire, from Latin voluntārius (“willing, of free will”), from voluntās (“will, choice, desire”), from volēns, present participle of volo (“to will”). Displaced native Old English selfwille (literally “self-willed”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈvɒl.ən.tɹi/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈvɑ.lənˌtɛɹ.i/
• (Ghana) IPA^(key): /vo.ˈlɔn.t̠ɹ̠̊ɹ̩.ri/, IPA^(key): /ˌvo.lɔn.ˈtɛ.ri/
• Hyphenation: vol‧un‧ta‧ry

Adjective

voluntary (comparative more voluntary, superlative most voluntary)

1. Done, given, or acting of one's own free will.
   • September 10, 1828, Nathaniel William Taylor, Sermon delivered in the Chapel of Yale College

     That sin or guilt pertains exclusively to voluntary action is the true principle of orthodoxy.
2. Done by design or intention; intentional.

   If a man accidentally kills another by lopping a tree, it is not voluntary manslaughter.

3. Working or done without payment.
4. Endowed with the power of willing.
5. Of or relating to voluntarism.

   a voluntary church, in distinction from an established or state church

Synonyms

• (acting of one's own free will): discretionary, optional, volitional; See also Thesaurus:optional
• (done by design or intention): intentional, willful, see Thesaurus:intentional
• (done without payment): honorary, pro bono, unpaid, unsalaried, unwaged
• (endowed with the power of willing): autonomous, spontaneous

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “all”): involuntary
• (antonym(s) of “acting of one's own free will”): compulsory, obligatory; See also Thesaurus:compulsory
• (antonym(s) of “done by design or intention”): accidental
• (antonym(s) of “done without payment”): paid, salaried

Derived terms

Related terms

• voluntarism
• voluntarist

Translations

Adverb

voluntary (comparative more voluntary, superlative most voluntary)

1. (obsolete) Voluntarily.

Noun

voluntary (plural voluntaries)

1. (music) A short piece of music, often having improvisation, played on a solo instrument.
2. A volunteer.
3. A supporter of voluntarism; a voluntarist.