Where does “involuntary” come from?
Involuntary comes from Middle English in- (not) combined with voluntary, which derives from Latin voluntārius (willing), itself from Latin in (in) and a root related to Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- (to wish or desire).
involuntary (English): Without intention; unintentional; Not voluntary...
Definitions
- Without intention; unintentional; Not voluntary...
Ancestry of “involuntary”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | voluntary | Done, given, or acting of one's own free will;... |
| 2 | Middle English | voluntarie | — |
| 3 | Old French | volontaire | — |
| 4 | Latin | voluntārius | volunteer |
| 5 | Latin | voluntās | will, free will, choice |
| 6 | Latin | velle | present active infinitive of volō; wish, intend;... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | welō | to want, will |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | welh₁- | to choose; to want |