Willing

How to spell willing

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce willing

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does willing mean?

1. adjectiveReady and happy to do something, or doing it without being forced.

Willing in a sentence

• She was willing to work extra hours to finish the project.

• The new recruit proved a willing and reliable member of the team.

Where does willing come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word grows out of the Old English verb willan, meaning 'to wish' or 'to desire', the same root that gives us the modern noun and verb 'will'. The present participle ending -ing turned that verb into an adjective describing someone disposed or ready to do something of their own accord. The deeper ancestry traces back to a Germanic root linked to wanting and choosing, and it is a close cousin of words like 'volition' through their shared sense of personal desire. By the late Old English and early Middle English periods, 'willing' had settled into its familiar meaning of being glad or ready to act. The spelling is straightforward once you remember it is simply 'will' with a doubled consonant before -ing, which keeps the short vowel sound intact.

How the word is built

• will (from Old English willan: to wish, to desire)
• -ing (adjective suffix)