volition

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /voʊˈlɪʃən/ UK /vəˈlɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the faculty or power of using one's will; a deliberate choice

She left of her own volition, with no one forcing her hand.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the faculty or power of... willwillpowerchoice determination resolve intention discretion agency

Opposites

compulsion coercion indecision

Word family

Derived forms volitionalvolitivevolitionally

Related forms voluntary benevolent malevolent

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

of one's own volition
formal: by personal choice, without being forced or instructed

Preposition + noun

Etymology

From French volition, from Medieval Latin volitionem, from Latin volo ('I wish, I will'), from velle ('to wish, to will').

volitionem Latin velle Latin *welh₁- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# volition

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /voʊˈlɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /vəˈlɪʃən/

## Meanings
1. the faculty or power of using one's will; a deliberate choice

## Examples
- She left of her own volition, with no one forcing her hand.

## Synonyms
- will
- willpower
- choice
- determination
- resolve
- intention
- discretion
- agency

## Antonyms
- compulsion
- coercion
- indecision

## Derived Forms
- volitional
- volitive
- volitionally

## Related Forms
- voluntary
- benevolent
- malevolent

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: volitionem
- Root: velle
- Root: *welh₁-

## Etymology
From French volition, from Medieval Latin volitionem, from Latin volo ('I wish, I will'), from velle ('to wish, to will').

## AI Etymology
Volition comes from French volition, from Medieval Latin volitionem, from Latin volo ('I wish, I will'), from velle ('to wish, to will'). In current use it is a noun meaning "the faculty or power of using one's will; a deliberate choice". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. The historical chain includes Latin volitionem, Latin velle, and Proto-Indo-European *welh₁-. Related English forms include voluntary, benevolent, and malevolent. Derived forms include volitional, volitive, and volitionally. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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