freelance
UK[ˈfriːlɑːns]US[ˈfriːlæns]
adj
working for different companies on particular jobs rather than being permanently employed by one company
n
a person who works as a freelance
v
to earn money by selling your work or services to several different organizations rather than being employed by one
Morpheme Breakdown
free
lance
free
lance
a light spear or weapon carried by a mounted soldier
Etymology
the term 'freelance' originated in the early 19th century, coined by sir walter scott in his novel 'ivanhoe'. it was initially a chivalric metaphor, describing a medieval mercenary knight who was a 'free lance'—a soldier not pledged to any one lord, free to offer his lance (his military service) to the highest bidder. this vivid imagery was later adopted in the 1880s to describe journalists and writers who were not attached to a single publication. by the mid-20th century, the term had fully evolved into its modern abstract meaning, applying to any independent professional selling their services on a project-by-project basis, thus retaining the core idea of autonomy and transactional service from its literal roots.
Analysis
Structure: free + lance
free (old english, meaning 'not in bondage, acting of one's own will'); lance (old french via latin, meaning 'a light spear or weapon carried by a mounted soldier')
Examples
she works as a freelance graphic designer.
he left his staff position to go freelance.
the magazine often hires freelances to write feature articles.