English Lexicon

Volunteer

/ˌvɒl.ənˈtɪər/
nounverbCEFR B1 (Intermediate)Top #800 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A person who freely offers to take part in an activity or provide a service.

    "The local shelter is always looking for volunteers to help with the food distribution."
As verb
  1. 1

    To offer oneself for a service or undertaking without being paid.

    "She decided to volunteer at the animal rescue center during her summer break."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'volunteer' originates from the Latin 'voluntarius', meaning 'willing' or 'of one's own free will'. It evolved through Old French before entering English in the early 17th century, where it retained the sense of a person who offers to perform a service voluntarily.

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