Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

involuntary

/ɪnˈvɑ.lənˌtɛɹ.i/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.34 in modern English

Syllables: in-vol-un-ta-ry
IPA: /ɪnˈvɑ.lənˌtɛɹ.i/

17

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

5

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Without intention; unintentional.

adj

Not voluntary or willing; contrary or opposed to explicit will or desire; unwilling.

Example Sentences

"In 2003, Christopher Below was in an interrogation room at the Evansville Police Department when he admitted to Detective Scott Thomas of the Evansville Police Department that he had shot Kathern Fetzer in his apartment and disposed of the body in a commercial trash bin. Her remains were never recovered, and Below pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter."
"He found himself the involuntary witness in the trial."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- Middle English voluntarie English voluntary English involuntary From in- + voluntary, from Late Latin involontarius, from in + volontarius.

Word Breakdown

Prefix: in
Root: involontarius

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ɪnˈvɑ.lənˌtɛɹ.i/
British English: /ɪnˈvɒl.ən.tɹi/

Inflected Forms

more involuntary (comparative) most involuntary (superlative)

Derived Forms

incel inspin involuntarily involuntariness

Phrases

involuntary manslaughter involuntary movement involuntary muscle involuntary park involuntary sculpture

Frequently Paired Words

volunteer

Synonyms

inadvertent unintended unbewised unvoluntary nonvoluntary

Questions

How do you pronounce involuntary?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪnˈvɑ.lənˌtɛɹ.i/.
What does involuntary mean?: Without intention; unintentional.
Where does involuntary come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- Middle English voluntarie English voluntary English involuntary From in- + voluntary, from Late Latin involontarius, from in + volontarius.

How to pronounce involuntary

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