volunteer

The definition of a volunteer is a person who donates his time or efforts for a cause or organization without being paid.

(noun)

A person who works in a soup kitchen for free is an example of a volunteer.

To volunteer is defined as to give without being asked and without being paid.

(verb)

When you go work in a soup kitchen for free, this is an example of a situation where you volunteer.

YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2013 by LoveToKnow Corp.

See volunteer in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

  1. a person who chooses freely to do or offer to do something
  2. a person who chooses freely to enter naval or military service, without being compelled to do so by law
  3. Bot. a volunteer plant
  4. Law
    1. a person who chooses freely to enter into any transaction with no promise of compensation
    2. a person to whom property is transferred without valuable consideration

Origin: earlier voluntier < obs. Fr voluntaire < L (miles)voluntarius, voluntary (soldier)

adjective

  1. composed of volunteers, as an army
  2. serving as a volunteer, usually without compensation
  3. of a volunteer or volunteers
  4. Bot. growing from seed that has fallen naturally to the ground, not planted by a person

transitive verb

to freely choose to offer or give without being asked or obliged

intransitive verb

to freely choose to enter or offer to enter into any service; enlist

See volunteer in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. A person who performs or offers to perform a service voluntarily: an information booth staffed by volunteers; hospital volunteers.
  2. Law
    a. A person who renders aid, performs a service, or assumes an obligation voluntarily.
    b. A person who holds property under a deed made without consideration.
  3. Botany A cultivated plant growing from self-sown or accidentally dropped seed.
adjective
  1. Being, consisting of, or done by volunteers: volunteer firefighters; volunteer tutoring.
  2. Botany Growing from self-sown or accidentally dropped seed. Used of a cultivated plant or crop.
verb vol·un·teered, vol·un·teer·ing, vol·un·teers
verb, transitive
To give or offer to give voluntarily: volunteered their services; volunteer to give blood.
verb, intransitive
  1. To perform or offer to perform a service of one's own free will.
  2. To do charitable or helpful work without pay: Many retirees volunteer in community service and day care centers.

Origin:

Origin: Obsolete French voluntaire

Origin: , from Old French, voluntary

Origin: , from Latin voluntārius; see voluntary

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