volunteer

The word “volunteer” means someone who offers to do a task, often unpaid, without being forced to. In plain terms, someone who offers to help freely, or the act of offering to do something unpaid.

“Volunteer” is pronounced voln-TEER (/ˌvɑlənˈtɪɹ/ in IPA).

Here is “volunteer” used in a sentence: “The shelter relies almost entirely on volunteers.”

Depending on how it is used, “volunteer” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “volunteer” comes from Latin. From French voluntaire, from Latin voluntarius, "willing" — originally used specifically for soldiers who chose to serve rather than being conscripted.

“Volunteer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Volunteer” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: someone who offers to do a task, often unpaid, without being forced to.

A volunteer offers to do a task, often unpaid, without being forced to, and usually has no formal employment tie. An intern also may be unpaid, but typically works to gain experience or training within a structured position, sometimes for course credit or a stipend.

A volunteer offers to do something freely, without being forced or paid. A conscript is the opposite: someone compelled to serve, especially in the military, by law rather than by choice.

Yes. As a noun, a volunteer is someone who offers to do a task, often unpaid, without being forced. As a verb, to volunteer means to offer to do something without being asked or paid, as in 'she volunteered to help.'

Not always. While a volunteer often works without pay, the core meaning is offering to do something freely and without being forced. You can 'volunteer' an answer or information, where payment is not involved at all.