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745 entries found
voltmeter (n.)
instrument for measuring the difference of potentials in volts, 1882, from volt + meter (n.3).
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volubility (n.)
1570s, from Middle French volubilité (16c.) or directly from Latin volubilitatem (nominative volubilitas) "a rapid turning," figuratively "fluency (of speech)," from volubilis (see voluble).
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voluble (adj.)
early 15c., "liable to constant change," from Middle French voluble, from Latin volubilis "that turns around, rolling, flowing," figuratively (of speech) "fluent, rapid," from volvere "to turn around, roll," from PIE root *wel- (3) "to turn, revolve." Meaning "fluent, talkative" first recorded 1580s. Related: Volubly.
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volume (n.)
late 14c., "roll of parchment containing writing; a bound book," from Old French volume "scroll, book; work, volume; girth, size" (13c.) and directly from Latin volumen (genitive voluminis) "roll (of a manuscript); coil, wreath," literally "that which is rolled," from volvere "to turn around, roll," from PIE root *wel- (3) "to turn, revolve." Meaning "book forming part of a set" is 1520s in English, from that sense in French. Generalized sense of "bulk, mass, quantity" (1620s) developed from that of "bulk or size of a book" (1520s), again following the sense evolution in the French word.
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volumetric (adj.)
1854, from volumeter "instrument for measuring the volume of liquids and gases" (1827) + -ic. Related: Volumetrical (1853).
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voluminous (adj.)
1610s, "forming a large mass," also "full of turnings and windings," from Late Latin voluminosus, from Latin volumen (genitive voluminis) "volume" (see volume). Related: Voluminously; voluminousness.
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voluntarism (n.)
1838, "theory or principal of using voluntary action rather than coercion (in politics, religion, etc.), from voluntary + -ism. (Voluntaryism in the religious sense, as opposed to establishmentarianism, is recorded from 1835.) In philosophy, "theory that the will is the basic principle," 1896, from German Voluntarismus (Tönnies, 1883).
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voluntary (adj.)
late 14c., from Latin voluntarius "willing, of one's free will," from voluntas "will," from the ancient accusative singular present participle of velle "to wish" (see will (v.)). Originally of feelings, later also of actions (mid-15c.). Related: Voluntarily.
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volunteer (n.)
c. 1600, "one who offers himself for military service," from Middle French voluntaire, "one who volunteers," also as an adjective, "voluntary," from Latin voluntarius "voluntary, of one's free will," as a plural noun "volunteers" (see voluntary). Non-military sense is first recorded 1630s. As an adjective from 1640s. Tennessee has been the Volunteer State since the Mexican War, when a call for 2,800 volunteers brought out 30,000 men.
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volunteer (v.)
1755, from volunteer (n.). Related: Volunteered; volunteering (1690s as a verbal noun).
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