French word volontaire comes from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁-, Proto-Indo-European *mno-, and later Proto-Italic *welō (To want.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *welh₁- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *mno- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *welō | Proto-Italic (itc-pro) | To want. |
| volo | Latin (lat) | I want. I wish. I mean, intend. |
| volens | Latin (lat) | |
| voluntatem | Latin (lat) | |
| voluntarius | Latin (lat) | Voluntary, willing Volunteer. |
| voluntaire | Old French (fro) | |
| voluntaire | Middle French (frm) | Voluntary; of one's own accord Willingly. |
| volontaire | French (fra) | Determined. Voluntary, deliberate. Volunteer. Wilful A volunteer. |