freelance English · revision 1899

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈfɹiːlɑːns/ ''(UK)''; /ˈfɹiˌlæns/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound of [[free]] and [[lance]],^(RHWU)^(Etymonline) apparently coined by Sir Walter Scott in ''Ivanhoe'' (1820) as ''free lance''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A medieval military adventurer, often a knight, who offered his services to any state or cause; a mercenary (1820).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline compares Scott's description to the Italian [[condottiere|alt=condottieri]].^(Etymonline) The figurative sense, applied especially to a politician or writer with no fixed party allegiance, is from 1864,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and Etymonline dates the journalistic sense to 1882.^(Etymonline) The word came to mean a person who sells work or services to several employers without a long-term commitment.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The agent noun ''freelancer'' is recorded from 1898 in Etymonline, the adjective from 1901 and the verb from 1902 or 1903.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1820 – ''free lance'', a medieval mercenary.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1864 – a politician or writer without fixed allegiance.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1882 – of journalism (Etymonline).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1898 – ''freelancer'' (Etymonline).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1901 – adjective.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1902 – verb (Etymonline, Merriam-Webster, with 1903 in the OED).^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person, especially a [[writer]] or artist, who sells work or services to employers without a long-term commitment to any one of them.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person who acts independently, without allegiance to a party or organization.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # ''(historical)'' A medieval [[mercenary]] soldier.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To work as a freelance.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To produce or sell work as a freelance.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Working as, done by, or relating to a freelance.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[freelancer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lance]]

+ * [[condottiere]]

+ * [[mercenary]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}