volition

vo·li·tion

noun \vō-ˈli-shən, və-\

Definition of VOLITION

1

: an act of making a choice or decision; also : a choice or decision made

2

: the power of choosing or determining : will

— vo·li·tion·al \-ˈlish-nəl, -ˈli-shə-n^əl\ adjective

Examples of VOLITION

1. <Tourette's syndrome is a neurological disorder marked by recurrent tics and vocalizations that are beyond the sufferer's volition or control.>
2. <left the church of her own volition, not because she was excommunicated>

Origin of VOLITION

French, from Medieval Latin volition-, volitio, from Latin vol- (stem of velle to will, wish) + -ition-, -itio (as in Latin position-, positio position) — more at will

First Known Use: 1615

Related to VOLITION

Synonyms: accord, autonomy, choice, self-determination, free will, will

Related Words: election, preference, selection; bent, devices, disposition, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency; alternative, discretion, option, pick, way

Near Antonyms: coercion, compulsion, constraint, duress, force, pressure

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with VOLITION

addition, admission, ambition, attrition, audition, beautician, clinician, cognition, coition, commission, condition, contrition, demission, dentition, dismission, Domitian, edition, emission, ethician, fruition, ignition, Kittitian, lenition, logician, magician, Mauritian, monition, mortician, munition, musician, nutrition, omission, optician, partition, patrician, perdition, permission, petition, Phoenician, physician, Politian, position, punition, remission, rendition, sedition, submission, suspicion, tactician, technician, tradition, transition, transmission, tuition