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volunteer

n. · v.
US //ˌvɑɫənˈtɪɹ// UK //vˌɒləntˈiə// vol·un·teer
  1. 1 unpaid worker (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    someone who does a job or helps others because they want to, without being paid.

    a person who performs a service willingly and without financial compensation.

    Example

    The local library relies on volunteers to help organize the books every weekend.

    Example

    The charity is seeking volunteers to assist with the distribution of emergency supplies in the affected regions.
  2. 2 military (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Military

    a person who joins the army because they want to, not because the law forces them to.

    an individual who enters military service of their own volition rather than through conscription.

    Example

    He joined the army as a volunteer before the draft even started.

    Example

    Historically, the regiment was composed entirely of volunteers who provided their own equipment and horses.
    • enlistee
    • conscript
    • draftee
Show 4 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 botany (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a plant that grows on its own without a person planting it there.

    a plant that grows spontaneously in a garden or field from self-sown seed rather than being intentionally cultivated.

    Example

    That tomato plant in the middle of the path is just a volunteer from last year.

    Example

    The farmer decided to leave the volunteer sunflowers growing among the soy crops as they didn't interfere with the harvest.
    • self sown plant
  2. 4 to offer help (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to offer to do something without being asked or forced.

    to offer oneself or one's services for a task or mission spontaneously.

    Example

    I decided to volunteer for the clean-up crew after the school festival.

    Example

    Several staff members volunteered to work through the weekend to ensure the project met its Monday deadline.
  3. 5 to give information (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to give information or an opinion without being asked for it.

    to provide information, an excuse, or an idea unprompted.

    Example

    She volunteered the information about the missing keys before the manager even asked.

    Example

    During the interview, the candidate volunteered several details about his previous experience that weren't included in his CV.
  4. 6 to sign someone else up (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Humorous

    to suggest that someone else should do a task, often without asking them first.

    to nominate another person for a task or duty, typically in an informal or humorous context.

    Example

    My brother volunteered me to drive everyone to the airport at 4:00 AM.

    Example

    The department head jokingly volunteered his deputy to lead the committee, much to the latter's surprise.
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French voluntaire, from Latin voluntārius (“willing, voluntary”); or from voluntary + -eer.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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