volition

/voʊˈlɪʃɪn/

/vəʊˈlɪʃən/

Other forms: volitions

Doing something willingly or voluntarily is doing it of your own volition. You might not always enjoy the books your teacher assigns, but you love the historical novels you pick up of your own volition.

Volition comes from Latin and French roots meaning "wish" or "will." Legal speech and writing often include the word volition, as a way to affirm that a person involved in a crime acted "on their own volition," or consented to be part of the crime. Maybe criminals don't wish to go to jail, but their acts often show their volition to break the law.

Definitions of volition

1. noun

   the act of making a choice
   “followed my father of my own volition”

   synonyms: willing

   types:

   intention

   an act of intending; a volition that you intend to carry out

   type of:

   choice, option, pick, selection

   the act of choosing or selecting
2. noun

   the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
   “"the exercise of their volition we construe as revolt"- George Meredith”

   synonyms: will

   types:

   velleity

   volition in its weakest form

   type of:

   faculty, mental faculty, module

   one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind