Volunteer
Pronunciation
- GenAm IPA: /vɑl.ənˈtɪɹ/
- RP IPA: /vɒl.ənˈtɪə/
- Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)
- Hyphenation: vol + un + teer
Origin
From Middle French voluntaire, from Latin voluntarius ("willing, voluntary"); or from voluntary + -eer.
Full definition of volunteer
Noun
volunteer
(plural volunteers)- One who enters into, or offers for, any service of his/her own free will, especially when done without pay.
- (military) One who enters into military service voluntarily, but who, when in service, is subject to discipline and regulations like other soldiers; -- opposed to conscript; specifically, a voluntary member of the organized militia of a country as distinguished from the standing army.
- (legal) A person who acts out of his own will without a legal obligation, such as a donor.
- (botany, agriculture) A plant that grows spontaneously, without being cultivated on purpose; see volunteer plant in Wikipedia.
- A native or resident of the American state of Tennessee.
Related terms
Verb
- (intransitive) To enlist oneself as a volunteer.
- (ambitransitive) To do or offer to do something voluntarily.to volunteer for doing the dishes
- (transitive) To offer.to volunteer an explanation
- (intransitive, botany) To grow without human sowing or intentional cultivation.
- (transitive, informal) To offer the services of (someone else) to do something.My sister volunteered me to do the dishes.