voluntary

English

Etymology

From Middle English *voluntarie, from Old French volontaire, from Latin voluntarius (“willing, of free will”), from voluntas (“will, choice, desire”), from volens, present participle of velle (“to will”).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

voluntary (comparative more voluntary, superlative most voluntary)

1. Done, given, or acting of one's own free will.
2. Working or done without payment.

Synonyms

• discretionary
• optional
• willful
• volitional

Antonyms

• compulsory
• obligatory
• involuntary

Derived terms

• voluntarily

Related terms

• volition
• voluntarism
• voluntarist
• volunteer
• will

Translations

done, given, or acting of one's own free will

Catalan: voluntari (ca) Czech: dobrovolný (cs) m. Dutch: vrijwillig (nl) Esperanto: volonta (eo) Finnish: omaehtoinen (fi), vapaaehtoinen (fi) French: volontaire (fr) German: freiwillig (de)

Greek: εκούσιος (el) (ekoúsios) m., εθελοντικός (el) (ethelontikós) m., προαιρετικός (el) (proairetikós) m., εθελούσιος (el) (etheloúsios) m. Japanese: 志願して (shigan-shite) Scottish Gaelic: saor-thoileach (gd) Spanish: voluntario (es) Telugu: స్వచ్ఛంద (svachchhanda)

working or done without payment

Czech: dobrovolný (cs) m. Finnish: vapaaehtoinen, vapaaehtois- (in compounds), talkoo- French: bénévole (fr)

German: ohne Bezahlung (without payment), ehrenamtlich (honorary) Greek: εθελοντικός (el) (ethelontikós) m. Scottish Gaelic: saor-thoileach (gd)

Noun

voluntary (plural voluntaries)

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