volume

1 of 3

noun

vol·​ume ˈväl-(ˌ)yüm How to pronounce volume (audio) -yəm How to pronounce volume (audio)
Synonyms of volume
1
: the degree of loudness or the intensity of a sound
also : loudness
2
: the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object as measured in cubic units (such as quarts or liters) : cubic capacity see Metric System Table, Weights and Measures Table
3
a(1)
: amount
also : bulk, mass
(2)
: a considerable quantity
b
: the amount of a substance occupying a particular volume
c
: mass or the representation of mass in art or architecture
4
a
: a series of printed sheets bound typically in book form : book
b
: a series of issues of a periodical
c
: album sense 1b
5
: scroll sense 1a
volumed
ˈväl-(ˌ)yümd How to pronounce volume (audio)
-yəmd
adjective
volume table

volume

2 of 3

verb

volumed; voluming

transitive verb

: to send or give out in volume

intransitive verb

: to roll or rise in volume

volume

3 of 3

adjective

: involving large quantities
volume sales

Synonyms of volume

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for volume

bulk, mass, volume mean the aggregate that forms a body or unit.

bulk implies an aggregate that is impressively large, heavy, or numerous.

the darkened bulk of the skyscrapers

mass suggests an aggregate made by piling together things of the same kind.

a mass of boulders

volume applies to an aggregate without shape or outline and capable of flowing or fluctuating.

a tremendous volume of water

Examples of volume in a Sentence

Noun The volume is too loud. Can you turn the volume up? playing music at full volume She fiddled with the volume on the stereo. a high volume of sales Huge volumes of park visitors come through every weekend. an increase in traffic volume The box has a volume of three cubic meters. We measure the items by weight, not by volume.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Challenging data center lasers Optical communication has become increasingly important as data centers handle growing volumes of information. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026 The reality is that this effect was a deliberate design choice to soften the edges of the villa and smooth out its different volumes. — Francesca Longoni, Architectural Digest, 30 Oct. 2026 Mbilli, 31, a French-Cameroonian with an aggressive style and a high volume of punches, won the interim title by knocking out Maciej Sulecki in the first round in June 2025. — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 Mastercard sponsored some research by Datos Insights that projects global chargeback volume will grow 24 percent by 2028. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for volume

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin volumen roll, scroll, from volvere to roll — more at wallow entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Verb

1815, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Adjective

circa 1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of volume was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing volume

Rhymes for volume

See All Rhymes for volume

Browse Nearby Words

volucrine
volume
volume color
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Volume.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/volume. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

volume

noun
vol·​ume
ˈväl-yəm, 
-yüm
1
: book entry 1 sense 2a
2
: one of a series of books forming a complete work or collection
the fifth volume of an encyclopedia
3
: an amount of space as measured in cubic units
the volume of a container
4
: a large amount : mass
volumes of smoke
a volume of criticism poured in
5
: the degree of loudness of a sound
turn up the volume
Etymology

Noun

Middle English volume "a book, a scroll of papyrus," from early French (same meaning), from Latin volumen "roll, scroll," from volvere "to roll" — related to revolve

Word Origin
The earliest books were written on long rolls made from a plant called papyrus. The Roman name for such a roll was volumen, a word which came from the verb volvere, meaning "to roll." Later, books were made of a material called parchment, which, unlike papyrus, could be folded and bound together. This advance made it unnecessary to use rolls anymore. The French word volume, which came from the Latin volumen, was originally used to refer to papyrus rolls but later was used for bound books as well. The French word was borrowed into English in the 14th century. By the 16th century, volume had also come to mean "the size (of a book)." This meaning led to a more general sense, "the quantity or amount (of anything)." In the 19th century, volume acquired still another meaning, "the strength or loudness of a sound."

Medical Definition

volume

noun
vol·​ume ˈväl-yəm, -(ˌ)yüm How to pronounce volume (audio)
1
: the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional figure as measured in cubic units (as inches, quarts, or centimeters) : cubic capacity
2
: the amount of a substance occupying a particular volume

More from Merriam-Webster on volume

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about volume

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