Excess molar volumes at 303.15 K for the binary mixture of ethylene glycol+, diethylene glycol+, triethylene glycol+ and tetraethylene glycol+ γ-butyrolactone were determined from precise density measurements over the whole mole fraction range. The excess molar volumes are positive over the whole mole fraction range for ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol systems. For triethylene glycol and tetraethylene glycol systems, VE curves are sigmoid with a positive lobe at low mole fraction of glycol and a negative lobe at high mole fraction. The excess molar volumes VE, results are interpreted qualitatively in terms of several opposing effects. © 1990.