freelance

or free-lance

[ free-lans, -lans ]
See synonyms for freelance on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of or relating to work conducted by a person who sells their services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for one employer: a freelance writer;freelance copyediting.: Compare full-time (def. 2).

verb (used without object),free·lanced, free·lanc·ing.
  1. to sell services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for one employer: The illustrator used to be employed by us but is freelancing now.

verb (used with object),free·lanced, free·lanc·ing.
  1. to produce, sell, or accomplish (something) while selling services by the hour, day, job, etc.: Every so often I freelance a magazine article for some extra cash.

adverb
  1. in the manner of one who sells services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for one employer: She works freelance.

nounAlso free lance .
  1. a person who contends in a cause or in a succession of various causes, as they choose, without personal attachment or allegiance.

Origin of freelance

1
First recorded in 1810–20; free + lance1

Other definitions for free lance (2 of 2)

free lance

noun
  1. a mercenary soldier or military adventurer of the Middle Ages, often of knightly rank, who offered his services to any state, party, or cause.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for freelance

freelance

/ (ˈfriːˌlɑːns) /


noun
    • Also called: freelancer a self-employed person, esp a writer or artist, who is not employed continuously but hired to do specific assignments

    • (as modifier): a freelance journalist

  1. a person, esp a politician, who supports several causes or parties without total commitment to any one

  1. (in medieval Europe) a mercenary soldier or adventurer

verb
  1. to work as a freelance on (an assignment, etc)

adverb
  1. as a freelance

Origin of freelance

1
C19 (in sense 3): later applied to politicians, writers, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012