volunteer

American  

[vol-uhn-teer] / ˌvɒl ənˈtɪər /

noun

1. a person who voluntarily offers to perform a service or other undertaking.

2. a person who performs a service willingly and without pay.

3. Military. a person who enters the service voluntarily rather than through conscription or draft, especially for special or temporary service rather than as a member of the regular or permanent army.

4. Law.

   1. a person whose actions are not founded on any legal obligation so to act.

   2. a person who steps into a matter that does not concern them, such as a person who pays the debt of another where they are neither legally nor morally bound to do so and has no interest to protect in making the payment.

5. Agriculture. Also volunteer plant a plant that springs up spontaneously, without being seeded, planted, or cultivated by a person.

   We didn't plant any watermelons this year, but look at all the volunteers from last year's crop.

6. Volunteer. a native or inhabitant of Tennessee (used as a nickname).

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or being a person who voluntarily offers to do something.

   a volunteer fireman.

2. Agriculture. growing without being seeded, planted, or cultivated by a person; springing up spontaneously.

   volunteer tomatoes.

verb (used without object)

volunteers, present (3rd person singular) volunteered, past participle, past volunteering present participle

1. to offer oneself for some service or undertaking.

2. to enter service or enlist voluntarily.

verb (used with object)

volunteers, present (3rd person singular) volunteered, past participle, past volunteering present participle

1. to offer (oneself or one's services) for some undertaking or purpose.

2. to give, bestow, or perform voluntarily.

   to volunteer a song.

3. to say, tell, or communicate voluntarily.

   to volunteer an explanation.

4. to promise the services of (someone) without having asked if it is something they actually can or want to do.

   He volunteered me to sand and paint the bottom of the boat, and I don’t have the slightest interest in sanding, painting, or boating.

volunteer British  

/ ˌvɒlənˈtɪə /

noun

1. 1. a person who performs or offers to perform voluntary service

   2. ( as modifier )

      a volunteer system

      volunteer advice

2. a person who freely undertakes military service, esp temporary or special service

3. law

   1. a person who does some act or enters into a transaction without being under any legal obligation to do so and without being promised any remuneration for his services

   2. property law a person to whom property is transferred without his giving any valuable consideration in return, as a legatee under a will

4. 1. a plant that grows from seed that has not been deliberately sown

   2. ( as modifier )

      a volunteer plant

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verb

1. to offer (oneself or one's services) for an undertaking by choice and without request or obligation

2. (tr) to perform, give, or communicate voluntarily

   to volunteer help

   to volunteer a speech

3. (intr) to enlist voluntarily for military service

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unvolunteering
  adjective
• prevolunteer
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have volunteered
  perfect
• has volunteered
  perfect 3rd person singular
• is volunteering
  progressive 3rd person singular
• volunteers
  singular 3rd person
• have been volunteering
  perfect progressive
• are volunteering
  progressive
• has been volunteering
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am volunteering
  progressive 1st person singular
• volunteering
  participle

Past

• had volunteered
  perfect
• were volunteering
  progressive plural
• had been volunteering
  perfect progressive
• was volunteering
  progressive singular
• volunteered
  participle
• volunteered
  simple

Future

• will volunteer
  simple
• will have volunteered
  perfect
• will be volunteering
  progressive
• will have been volunteering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of volunteer

First recorded in 1590–1600; from French volontaire, from Latin voluntārius voluntary, with -eer for French -aire

Explanation

To volunteer means to freely offer up your time and service to help. So a volunteer might offer to water a neighbor's plants while he's on vacation or sign up to serve dinner at a local homeless shelter. When it came into usage circa 1600, the noun volunteer referred to a person who offered himself up for military service. It wasn't until a few decades later that the word was first used in a non-military sense. And a little over a hundred years after that, volunteer expanded from functioning as just a noun to also playing the role of verb. A volunteer is someone who volunteers: willingly performs a task or offers a service.

Example Sentences

One canvasser, Timothy Nikonorov, explained that he had been an active volunteer with Mamdani’s campaign before becoming a frequent canvasser for Park, and an occasional canvassing lead.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026

This spring, several temporary water sources were put in, an effort led by state and federal wildlife officials, according to Aiello, who helped out as a volunteer.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

Audrey Burrell, a 90-year-old widow and former volunteer, said she attended the cafe to prevent loneliness.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Amparo Urzainqui, a 66-year-old volunteer with the Catholic charity Caritas in Gran Canaria who assists migrants, said "they need to feel welcomed in our communities."

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

I'm on my way to Starwood House, the assisted living residence where I volunteer.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• come forward
• enlist
• sign up
• step forward
• suggest