The Fascinating Origin of the Word Freelance
Have you ever considered the origin of the word freelance?
While the traditional nine-to-five is still the norm for many people, freelance and remote work is rapidly growing in popularity. More and more people are giving up their nine-to-five to become their own boss, set their own work schedule, and achieve a better work-life balance.
Globally, nearly 47% of workers are freelancers. And in 2023, there will be 73.3 million freelancers in the United States alone. That’s an increase of three million from the previous year!
In this article, we’ll explore the origin of the word freelance, show how the word evolved to take on its current meaning, and explain how you can become a freelancer yourself.
The Origin of the Word Freelance
People often think that Sir Walter Scott coined freelance in his 1819 book, Ivanhoe. However, according to the Google Ngram Viewer – software that allows you to see how frequently a word appears in archived texts – the term first appeared in 1809 in The Life and Times of Hugh Miller, by Thomas N. Brown.
The term originally referred to medieval mercenaries, or “free lances,” meaning men who offered military support (i.e., their lance skills) to whichever nation, nobleman, or lord, paid them the most.
Although the demand for free lances declined over time, the word itself lived on and gained a broader definition. Until 1884, the term referred to a politician with no political affiliation (known today as an independent). People then began to associate it with journalistic freelancing, leading us to the meaning we’re familiar with today.
The Google Ngram Viewer shows that people wrote free lance as two separate words in the early 1800s and then began hyphenating it to free-lance in the 1920s. In the 1970s, the two words merged into one: freelance.
What Does Freelance Mean Today?
Today, freelancer refers to a self-employed person who works on their own terms, selling their services to various clients or employers. They decide whom they work with, when they work, and how much to charge.
Just as mercenary soldiers offered their skills and weaponry to help noblemen secure land and property, modern freelancers offer their tools and skills to help businesses (or individuals) reach their goals – so the root meaning of the word hasn’t changed a great deal!
From an etymological point of view, free is derived from a Germanic word that means to love, and lance is similar to the French word lancer, meaning to launch or to start an activity involving many people. Considering that many people leave restrictive office jobs to secure independent work that they love and that launches a new phase in their life, the mélange of love and launch seems highly appropriate!
Becoming a Freelancer
Interested in becoming a freelancer? Whatever your skills and interests, a freelance career to match is out there!
We have a number of courses designed to help you develop the skills you need to kick-start an exciting, rewarding, new freelance career. If you like the sound of freelance proofreading, editing, or writing, you’re in the right place.
Take a look at our courses, find out about our guaranteed work offer, and sign up for a free trial today!
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