Origin and history of volume

late 14c., "a bound book, collection of written pages or leaves bound together," also historical, in reference to documents rolled up for keeping and use (the ancient form of a book); from Old French volume "scroll, book; work, volume; girth, size" (13c.) and directly from Latin volumen (genitive voluminis) "roll (of a manuscript); coil, wreath." This is literally "that which is rolled," from volvere "to turn around, roll" (from PIE root *wel- (3) "to turn, revolve").

The meaning "single book forming part of a set" is 1520s in English, from that sense in French.

 The generalized sense of "something of a rounded, solid mass" (1620s) developed from that of "bulk or size of a book," following sense evolution in the French word. Hence, "bulk, amount, or aggregate quantity; matter occupying space" (1640s). Scientifically, "size or dimension of a thing" (by 1791); use in chemistry is by 1812.

In music, "fullness" (by 1801) then more broadly "combined mass of sound" (1822). Volume control is by 1926 in reference to radio station broadcasting, by 1927 in reference to receivers, where it had become a problem.

Times change. Several years ago the main thing was how to obtain volume, irrespective of tone quality. Today, most sets are capable of producing more than ample volume, so that the main aim is to cut down the volume when desired, without sacrificing the tone quality. ["Practical Pointers on Use of Volume Control," Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct 9, 1927]