voluntary

[vol-uhn-ter-ee]

adjective

done, made, brought about, undertaken, etc., of one's own accord or by free choice: a voluntary contribution.

of, relating to, or acting in accord with the will: voluntary cooperation.

of, relating to, or depending on voluntary action: voluntary hospitals.

Law.

acting or done without compulsion or obligation.
done by intention, and not by accident: voluntary manslaughter.
made without valuable consideration: a voluntary settlement.

Physiology. subject to or controlled by the will.

having the power of willing or choosing: a voluntary agent.

proceeding from a natural impulse; spontaneous: voluntary laughter.

noun, plural vol·un·tar·ies.

something done voluntarily.

a piece of music, frequently spontaneous and improvised, performed as a prelude to a larger work, especially a piece of organ music performed before, during, or after an office of the church.

Origin of voluntary

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin voluntārius, equivalent to volunt(ās) willingness, inclination (ultimately representing a formation with -tās -ty² on the present participle of velle to want, wish; see will¹, -ent) + -ārius -ary

Related formsvol·un·tar·i·ly

[vol-uhn-tair-uh-lee, vol-uhn-ter-] /ˌvɒl ənˈtɛər ə li, ˈvɒl ənˌtɛr-/, adverbvol·un·tar·i·ness, nounnon·vol·un·tar·y, adjectivesem·i·vol·un·tar·y, adjectiveun·vol·un·tar·i·ly, adverbun·vol·un·tar·y, adjective

Synonyms for voluntary

1. considered, purposeful, planned, intended, designed. 7. free, unforced, natural, unconstrained.

Synonym study

1. See deliberate. 7. Voluntary, spontaneous agree in applying to something that is a natural outgrowth or natural expression arising from circumstances and conditions. Voluntary implies having given previous consideration, or having exercised judgment: a voluntary confession; a voluntary movement; The offer was a voluntary one. Something that is spontaneous arises as if by itself from the nature of the circumstances or condition: spontaneous applause, combustion, expression of admiration.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for voluntariness

Historical Examples of voluntariness

And this freedom cannot be merely the freedom of simple spontaneity or voluntariness.
Theoretical Ethics
Milton Valentine
The voluntariness of this street watering constitutes its witchery.
East of Paris
Matilda Betham-Edwards
A great deal often depends, and in such a case as this, everything depends, on the Voluntariness of the ornament.
The Stones of Venice, Volume I (of 3)
John Ruskin
If the slave were willing to be a slave, his voluntariness, so far from lessening the guilt of the "owner," aggravates it.
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus
American Anti-Slavery Society
We argue the voluntariness of servants from their peculiar opportunities and facilities for escape.
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus
American Anti-Slavery Society

British Dictionary definitions for voluntariness

voluntary

adjective

performed, undertaken, or brought about by free choice, willingly, or without being askeda voluntary donation

(of persons) serving or acting in a specified function of one's own accord and without compulsion or promise of remunerationa voluntary social worker

done by, composed of, or functioning with the aid of volunteersa voluntary association

endowed with, exercising, or having the faculty of willinga voluntary agent

arising from natural impulse; spontaneousvoluntary laughter

law

acting or done without legal obligation, compulsion, or persuasion
made without payment or recompense in any forma voluntary conveyance

(of the muscles of the limbs, neck, etc) having their action controlled by the will

maintained or provided by the voluntary actions or contributions of individuals and not by the statevoluntary schools; the voluntary system

noun plural -taries

music a composition or improvisation, usually for organ, played at the beginning or end of a church service

work done without compulsion

obsolete a volunteer, esp in an army

Derived Formsvoluntarily, adverbvoluntariness, noun

Word Origin for voluntary

C14: from Latin voluntārius, from voluntās will, from velle to wish

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for voluntariness

voluntary

adj.

late 14c. (implied in voluntarily), from Latin voluntarius "of one's free will," from voluntas "will," from the ancient accusative singular present participle of velle "to wish" (see will (v.)). Originally of feelings, later also of actions (mid-15c.).

voluntariness in Medicine

voluntary

[vŏl′ən-tĕr′ē]

adj.

Arising from or acting on one's own free will.

Normally controlled by or subject to individual volition, as of respiration.

Capable of making choices; having the faculty of will.