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¹volunteer

noun vol·un·teer \ˌvä-lən-ˈtir\

: a person who chooses to join the military

: a person who does work without getting paid to do it

Full Definition of VOLUNTEER

: a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service: as

a : one who enters into military service voluntarily

b (1) : one who renders a service or takes part in a transaction while having no legal concern or interest (2) : one who receives a conveyance or transfer of property without giving valuable consideration

: a volunteer plant

capitalized [Volunteers of America] : a member of a quasi-military religious and philanthropic organization founded in 1896 by Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth

See volunteer defined for English-language learners

See volunteer defined for kids

Origin of VOLUNTEER

obsolete French voluntaire (now volontaire), from voluntaire, adjective, voluntary, from Old French, from Latin voluntarius

First Known Use: circa 1600

Rhymes with VOLUNTEER

Agadir, atmosphere, auctioneer, balladeer, bandolier, bathysphere, bayadere, Bedfordshire, Bedivere, belvedere, bend one's ear, biosphere, bombardier, boutonniere, brigadier, buccaneer, budgeteer, Cambridgeshire, cameleer, cannoneer, canyoneer, cassimere, cavalier, chandelier, chanticleer, chevalier, chiffonier, chocolatier, chromosphere, commandeer, corsetiere, crystal clear, cuirassier, Derbyshire, diapir, disappear, domineer, ecosphere, Elzevir, engineer, exosphere, fallow deer, fictioneer, financier, fiscal year, fourdrinier, fusilier, gadgeteer, gasolier, gazetteer, ginger beer, Gloucestershire, gondolier, grenadier, Guinevere, hemisphere, Hertfordshire, Holy Year, inner ear, insincere, interfere, in the clear, jardiniere, junketeer, kerseymere, landing gear, lavaliere, marketeer, Meyerbeer, middle ear, missileer, mountaineer, muleteer, musketeer, mutineer, on one's ear, outer ear, overhear, overseer, oversteer, Oxfordshire, pamphleteer, persevere, photosphere, pioneer, pistoleer, privateer, profiteer, puppeteer, racketeer, rocketeer, running gear, scrutineer, sloganeer, sonneteer, souvenir, Staffordshire, steering gear, stratosphere, summiteer, swimmer's ear, thermosphere, troposphere, Tyne and Wear, understeer, vintage year, Vladimir, Warwickshire, Windermere, yesteryear

²volunteer

adjective

: of, relating to, or done by volunteers

Full Definition of VOLUNTEER

: being, consisting of, or engaged in by volunteers <a volunteer army> <busy with volunteer activities>

: growing spontaneously without direct human control or supervision especially from seeds lost from a previous crop <volunteer corn plants>

See volunteer defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of VOLUNTEER

1649

Related to VOLUNTEER

Synonyms: freewill, self-imposed, uncoerced, unforced, volitional, voluntary, willing

Antonyms: coerced, compelled, forced, involuntary, nonvoluntary, unwilled, will-less

³volunteer

verb

: to offer to do something without being forced to or without getting paid to do it

: to choose to join the military

: to give (something) without being forced to or without getting paid for it

Full Definition of VOLUNTEER

intransitive verb

: to offer oneself as a volunteer <volunteered to host the meeting>

transitive verb

: to offer or bestow voluntarily <volunteer one's services>

See volunteer defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of VOLUNTEER

1709

Related to VOLUNTEER

Synonyms: bestow, contribute, donate, give away, present, give

VOLUNTEER Defined for Kids

¹volunteer

noun vol·un·teer \ˌvä-lən-ˈtir\

Definition of VOLUNTEER for Kids

: a person who does something by free choice usually with no payment expected or given <Volunteers painted the town hall.>

²volunteer

adjective

Definition of VOLUNTEER for Kids

: relating to or done by volunteers <a volunteer fire department>

³volunteer

verb

vol·un·teeredvol·un·teer·ing

Definition of VOLUNTEER for Kids

: to offer or give without being asked or forced and usually with no expectation of payment <I volunteered my services.> <Tucker Mouse had volunteered to let them use the drain pipe … — George Selden, The Cricket in Times Square>