Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To work as a freelancer.
  • intransitive verb To act independently without orders from another.
  • intransitive verb To produce and sell as a freelancer.
  • noun A freelancer.
  • noun An uncommitted independent, as in politics or social life.
  • noun A medieval mercenary.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun a person who acts independently or without authorization of an organization or of his superiors.
  • noun a person who pursues a profession independently, and not as the employee of an organization; -- used especially of writers or photographers who sell their work to organizations of which they are not employees.
  • adjective of or pertaining to a freelance{2}.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Someone who sells his services to employers without a long-term contract
  • noun A medieval mercenary
  • adjective Of, or relating to a freelance; without contract
  • verb intransitive To work as a freelance
  • verb transitive To produce or sell services as a freelance

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them
  • verb work independently and on temporary contracts rather than for a long-term employer
  • adjective serving for wages in a foreign army
  • adjective working for yourself

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From free + lance.

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Examples

Comments

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  • I love the idea of a "free lance" as a mercenary knight, even though I don't think this word was used in the Middle Ages.

    Usage cited in OED: "I offered Richard the service of my Free Lances." Sir Walter Scott, _Ivanhoe_, xxxiv, 1820.

    February 8, 2007

  • I never even considered that as the origin of this turn, this is awesome.

    February 8, 2007

  • Funny, that's how I've always thought of this word. Nice to know my presumption is backed by the OED. ;-)

    February 8, 2007

  • Over on free-lance the CD&C says: "A mercenary soldier during the middle ages, especially one of some rank, mounted and thoroughly armed and having followers or attendants. (Compare lance.) They were most conspicuous in Italy, where they were called condottieri. Also called free companion."

    May 25, 2012