involuntary
/ɪnˈvɒl.ən.tər.i/
adjective
Origin
Latin
involuntarius — not willing
Overview
Meaning Now
- Done without will or conscious control.
- Occurring against one's own wishes or desire.
Literal older meaning
not having been willed
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
involuntarie
Earliest period
15th century
Journey
The term enters English during the late Middle English period, primarily utilized in legal and philosophical contexts to describe actions taken without deliberate intent or consent.
Evolution
- Latin
involuntarius
“unwilling, not willed”
- Old French
involontaire
“not voluntary”
- English, 15th century
involuntarie
“not done by choice”
Direct borrowing from French or Latin
- Modern English
involuntary
“done without conscious control or against one's will”
Connections
Word parts
in-
prefix
not
volunt
root
will or desire
-ary
suffix
relating to
Related across languages
French
involontaire
involuntary
Spanish
involuntario
involuntary
Explore next
Related to involuntary
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.