Refine this word faster
Freelance
Definitions
- 1 Of or relating to a freelance; without a long-term employment contract.
"He was a freelance writer for several magazines."
- 1 working for yourself wordnet
- 2 serving for wages in a foreign army wordnet
- 1 Someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract.
"The objector, one Millworthy, a free-lance of journalism, was not to be so easily silenced."
- 2 a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them wordnet
- 3 A medieval mercenary. historical
"I—I offered Richard the service of my Free Lances, and he refused them—I will lead them to Hull, seize on shipping, and embark for Flanders; […] Trust me, Estoteville alone has strength enough to drive all thy Free Lances into the Humber."
- 1 To work as a freelance. intransitive
- 2 work independently and on temporary contracts rather than for a long-term employer wordnet
- 3 To produce or sell services as a freelance. transitive
Etymology
From free + lance. Coined by Walter Scott (1771–1832) in Ivanhoe (1819; see quotation) to describe a medieval mercenary warrior or "free-lance" (indicating that the lance is not sworn to any lord's services). It changed to a figurative noun around the 1860s and was recognized as a verb in 1903 by authorities such as the Oxford English Dictionary. In modern times the term has morphed into an adjective, a verb, and an adverb, as well as the derivative noun freelancer.
From free + lance. Coined by Walter Scott (1771–1832) in Ivanhoe (1819; see quotation) to describe a medieval mercenary warrior or "free-lance" (indicating that the lance is not sworn to any lord's services). It changed to a figurative noun around the 1860s and was recognized as a verb in 1903 by authorities such as the Oxford English Dictionary. In modern times the term has morphed into an adjective, a verb, and an adverb, as well as the derivative noun freelancer.
From free + lance. Coined by Walter Scott (1771–1832) in Ivanhoe (1819; see quotation) to describe a medieval mercenary warrior or "free-lance" (indicating that the lance is not sworn to any lord's services). It changed to a figurative noun around the 1860s and was recognized as a verb in 1903 by authorities such as the Oxford English Dictionary. In modern times the term has morphed into an adjective, a verb, and an adverb, as well as the derivative noun freelancer.
See also for "freelance"
Next best steps
Mini challenge
Unscramble this word: freelance