volition

noun

vo·​li·​tion vō-ˈli-shən How to pronounce volition (audio)
və-
1
: the power of choosing or determining : will
2
: an act of making a choice or decision
also : a choice or decision made
volitional
vō-ˈli-sh(ə-)nəl
 How to pronounce volition (audio)
və-
adjective

Did you know?

When you do something of your own volition, you do it voluntarily, which makes sense—both volition and voluntary ultimately come from the Latin velle, meaning “to wish” or “to will.” English speakers borrowed volition from French in the 17th century, using it at first to mean “an act of choosing,” a meaning Herman Melville employed in Moby-Dick (1851): “Almost simultaneously, with a mighty volition of ungraduated, instantaneous swiftness, the White Whale darted through the weltering sea.” By then, however, the word had also developed an additional meaning, “the power to choose,” which is now more common.

Examples of volition in a Sentence

Tourette's syndrome is a neurological disorder marked by recurrent tics and vocalizations that are beyond the sufferer's volition or control. left the church of her own volition, not because she was excommunicated
Recent Examples on the Web Some nuns would vanish—of their own volition, which they weren’t supposed to have, or because they’d been asked to leave. Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 The decision is largely a response to many downtown employees coming back to the office either of their own volition or requirements by their employers, according to Baru owner Tyler Wogenstahl. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 1 Feb. 2024 Ana Navarro joked that Goldberg would likely never visit the gathering of her own volition. Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2023 Would borrowers simply start repaying of their own volition? Joe Pitts, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023 Softly tracing repetitive figures and halting motifs that touch on jazz, Romanticism, and his own back catalog, Sakamoto uncovers moments of joy in changes that seem to move of their own volition, like leaves in the wind. Pitchfork, 14 Dec. 2023 In more recent years however, younger Koreans have been consuming it on their own volition, even devoting their careers to it. WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023 The strategy: Getting workers to come in of their own volition After shuttering more than 90 offices worldwide in March 2020, Autodesk gradually began reopening for optional use in 2021 at different times, based on local regulations. Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 24 Oct. 2023 Embracing the sufficiency mindset The sufficiency mindset revolves around acknowledging and prioritizing our core needs (physical, emotional, mental, social, and purpose-driven), as well as our sense of volition (having control over these things). Jean Gomes, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'volition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Medieval Latin volition-, volitio, from Latin vol- (stem of velle to will, wish) + -ition-, -itio (as in Latin position-, positio position) — more at will

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of volition was in 1605

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Dictionary Entries Near volition

Cite this Entry

“Volition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volition. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

volition

noun
vo·​li·​tion vō-ˈlish-ən How to pronounce volition (audio)
və-
: the act or power of making one's choices or decisions : will
they do not do this of their own volition
volitional
-ˈlish-nəl How to pronounce volition (audio)
-ən-ᵊl
adjective

Medical Definition

volition

noun
vo·​li·​tion vō-ˈlish-ən, və- How to pronounce volition (audio)
1
: an act of making a choice or decision
also : a choice or decision made
2
: the power of choosing or determining

More from Merriam-Webster on volition

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