Standard Lemma guide

freelance

adj · noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈfɹiːlɑːns/
  • General-American: /ˈfɹiˌlæns/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːlɑːns
  • CMU ARPABET: F R IY1 L AE2 N S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or relating to a freelance; without a long-term employment contract.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He was a freelance writer for several magazines.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A medieval mercenary.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: adventurer, bravo, condottiere, filibuster, freebooter, freelance, free companion, hired gun, hireling, hit man, merc, mercenary, private military contractor, sellsword, soldier of fortune

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To work as a freelance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To produce or sell services as a freelance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective

Meaning 6

working for yourself

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: free-lance, self-employed

Antonyms: salaried

7

noun

Meaning 7

a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: freelancer, free-lance, free lance, independent, self-employed person

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: worker

8

verb

Meaning 8

work independently and on temporary contracts rather than for a long-term employer

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: work, do work

History

Etymology

From free + lance. Coined by Walter Scott (1771–1832) in Ivanhoe (1819; see quotation) to describe a medieval mercenary warrior or "free-lance" (indicating that the lance is not sworn to any lord's services). It changed to a figurative noun around the 1860s and was recognized as a verb in 1903 by authorities such as the Oxford English Dictionary. In modern times the term has morphed into an adjective, a verb, and an adverb, as well as the derivative noun freelancer.

Across languages

Translations

53 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: freelance — of or relating to a freelance
  • Catalan: autònom — of or relating to a freelance
  • Estonian: vabakutseline — of or relating to a freelance
  • Finnish: freelance- — of or relating to a freelance
  • Finnish: vapaa — of or relating to a freelance
  • French: à la pige — of or relating to a freelance
  • French: indépendant — of or relating to a freelance
  • German: freiberuflich — of or relating to a freelance
  • Indonesian: kerja lepas — of or relating to a freelance
  • Indonesian: tenaga lepas — of or relating to a freelance
  • Irish: neamhspleách — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: freelance — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: free-lance — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: freelancer — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: free-lancer — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: free lancer — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: autónomo — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: independiente — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: por libre — of or relating to a freelance
  • Spanish: por cuenta propia — of or relating to a freelance
  • Swedish: frilansande — of or relating to a freelance
  • Thai: อิสระ (ìt-sà-rà) — of or relating to a freelance
  • Turkish: freelance- — of or relating to a freelance
  • Estonian: vabakutseline — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Finnish: freelancer — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • French: pigiste — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • French: freelance — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • German: freier Mitarbeiter — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Greek: ελεύθερος επαγγελματίας (eléftheros epangelmatías) — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Indonesian: pekerja bebas — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Indonesian: pekerja lepas — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Indonesian: tenaga lepas — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Italian: libero professionista — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Italian: freelance — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Persian: کارمزدی (kârmozdi) — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Russian: фрилансер (frilanser) — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Spanish: freelance — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Spanish: free-lance — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Swedish: frilans — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • Ukrainian: фрілансер (frilanser) — someone who sells their services to clients without a long-term employment contract
  • French: mercenaire — medieval mercenary
  • Indonesian: prajurit upahan — medieval mercenary
  • Italian: mercenario — medieval mercenary
  • Finnish: työskennellä freelancerina — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Greek: ελεύθερος επιχειρηματίας (eléftheros epicheirimatías) — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Greek: αυτοαπασχολούμενος (aftoapascholoúmenos) — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Russian: фрила́нсить (frilánsitʹ) — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Spanish: trabajar por cuenta propia — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Spanish: currelar por libre — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Spanish: laburar autónomamente — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Spanish: chambear independientemente — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Swedish: frilansa — intransitive: to work as a freelance
  • Finnish: tehdä freelancerina — transitive: to produce or sell services as a freelance
Real reading context

freelance in complete knowledge articles