liberal

See also: Liberal, liberał, liberál, and libéral

English

Etymology

The adjective is from Old French liberal, from Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”); it is attested since the 14th century. The noun is first attested in the 1800s.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: lĭbʹrəl, IPA^(key): /ˈlɪbɹəl/
• (General American) enPR: lĭbʹərəl, IPA^(key): /ˈlɪbəɹəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: (Received Pronunciation) -ɪbɹəl

Adjective

liberal (comparative more liberal, superlative most liberal)

1. (now rare outside set phrases) Pertaining to those arts and sciences the study of which is considered to provide general knowledge, as opposed to vocational/occupational, technical or mechanical training.

   He had a full education studying the liberal arts.

   • 1983, David Leslie Wagner, The Seven liberal arts in the Middle Ages:
   • 1997, Gordon D. Morgan, Toward an American Sociology: Questioning the European Construct, →ISBN, page 45:

     Americans remain enamored with Europe's ability to produce the consequential thought for America. It was the same in nearly every liberal field. Education sought its roots in such Europeans as Froebel, Frobenius, and Rousseau. Political science tried to connect to Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Nietzsche, Machiavelli, and Otto von Bismarck, for instance. Economics copied the thought of Adam Smith, […]

   • 2008, Donal G. Mulcahy, The Educated Person: Toward a New Paradigm for Liberal Education, →ISBN:
2. Generous; permitting liberty; willing to give unsparingly.

   He was liberal with his compliments.

   • 1899, J. M. Baltimore, “Pacific Coast Light Service”, in Overland Monthly, volume 33:

     Indeed, the Government has been very liberal in the expenditure of public money

   • 2005, John Gardner, Assessment and Learning, →ISBN, page 50:

     When he shows improvement she is liberal with her praise and then moves on to the next set of skills to be learnt.

   • 2007, Helena Page Schrader, The English Templar, →ISBN, page 309:

     Queen Isabella was already being called Santa Isabella by many of her subjects because she was liberal with her alms.

   • 2010, Simon Guillebaud, More Than Conquerors: A Call to Radical Discipleship, →ISBN, page 142:

     Was it because the believers were so liberal with their possessions that God was so liberal with his grace?

   • 2013 June 14, Jonathan Freedland, “Obama's once hip brand is now tainted”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 18:

     Now we are liberal with our innermost secrets, spraying them into the public ether with a generosity our forebears could not have imagined. Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet.

3. Ample, abundant; generous in quantity.

   Add a liberal sprinkling of salt.

   • 1896, Ice and refrigeration, volume 11, page 93:

     For this reason a liberal amount of piping should be used. If a liberal supply of piping is provided at first, the first cost will of course be greater, but the extra expenditure is called for but once.

   • 2009, R. Furman Kenney, Chesterville: The Village at the End of the Road, →ISBN, page 102:

     The result was usually that such helpers got a liberal sprinkling of mud over their clothing.

   • 2011, Marlene Perez, Dead Is Not an Option, →ISBN, page 37:

     Rose put a steaming cup of mint tea in front of me and spooned a liberal helping of honey into it.

4. (obsolete) Unrestrained, licentious.
   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

     Myself, my brother, and this grieved count,
     Did see her, hear her, at that hour last night,
     Talk with a ruffian at her chamber-window;
     Who hath indeed, most like a liberal villain,
     Confess'd the vile encounters they have had
     A thousand times in secret.

5. Widely open to new ideas, willing to depart from established opinions or conventions; permissive.

   Her parents had liberal ideas about child-rearing.

6. (politics) Open to political or social changes and reforms associated with either classical or modern liberalism.
   • 2021, Judith Rainhorn, The Colour of Controversy..., p. 10:

     Endorsing the liberal anti-interventionist credo that the marketplace should act as the "site of verification," the advocates of white lead opposed government intervention for the sake of open economic competition, which they claimed revealed its true value and thus should be the sole determinant: "When the railways were built, the stage coaches disppeared; they died a timely death. If zinc white is truly superior to white lead, it will kill us in the marketplace, but the government should not intervene." These were the words of Expert-Bezançon, in his February 1903 deposition to the parliamentary committee examining the bill for banning lead-based pigments in paint.

Usage notes

• Differences between the classical and modern political definitions of the word "liberal" can make some phrases ambiguous. For example, if one says a certain region has "liberal gun laws," this can be interpreted with two opposite meanings.

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “generous; permitting liberty”): authoritarian
• (antonym(s) of “widely open to new ideas”): conservative

Hyponyms

• small-l liberal

Derived terms

• archliberal
• boba liberal
• classical liberal
• counterliberal
• counter-liberal
• hyperliberal
• latte liberal
• Liberal
• liberal arts
• liberal conservatism
• liberal conservatives
• liberal democracy
• Liberal Democrat
• liberal education
• liberal elite
• liberalese
• liberal eugenics
• liberal feminism
• liberal guilt
• liberal homophobia
• liberalish
• liberalistic
• liberalitis
• liberality
• liberalization
• liberalize
• liberally
• liberalminded
• liberal-minded
• liberal-mindedly
• liberal-mindedness
• liberalness
• liberal parties
• liberal party
• Liberal Party
• liberalphobia
• liberal science
• liberalspeak
• liberaltarian
• liberalward
• Liberal Zionism
• librandu
• libshit
• libtard
• libturd
• lieberal
• limousine liberal
• milliberal
• NazLib
• neoclassical liberal
• neo-liberal, neoliberal
• nonliberal
• overliberal
• palaeoliberal
• paleoliberal
• postliberal
• preliberal
• protoliberal
• pseudoliberal
• scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds
• scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist
• semiliberal
• small l liberal
• small "l" liberal
• social liberal
• superliberal
• technoliberal
• ultraliberal
• unliberal

 

Related terms

• liberalism
• liberalist
• liberate
• liberation
• libertarian
• liberty

 

Translations

pertaining to the arts the study of which is considered worthy of a free man

• Bulgarian: хуманитарен (humanitaren)
• Catalan: liberal (ca)
• Finnish: vapaa (fi)
• French: libéral (fr) m
• Galician: liberal (gl) m or f
• German: freiheitlich (de)
• Interlingua: liberal
• Korean: 자유주의(自由主義)의 (jayujuui-ui)

generous, permitting liberty, willing to give unsparingly

• Bulgarian: щедър (bg) (štedǎr)
• Catalan: generós (ca), liberal (ca)
• Finnish: avokätinen (fi), antelias (fi)
• French: libéral (fr) m, large (fr) m or f
• Japanese: 寛容な (ja) (kan'yō na), 自由主義的な (jiyū shugiteki na)
• Korean: 후(厚)하다 (ko) (huhada)
• Maori: kaimārire
• Ottoman Turkish: جومرد (cömerd), كریم (kerim)
• Russian: ще́дрый (ru) (ščédryj)
• Sanskrit: मीढ्वस् (sa) (mīḍhvas)
• Swedish: frikostig (sv)

ample, abundant, generous in quantity

• Bulgarian: обилен (bg) (obilen)
• Catalan: abundant (ca), generós (ca)
• Finnish: runsas (fi)
• French: généreux (fr) m
• Greek: γενναιόδωρος (el) m (gennaiódoros)
• Japanese: 豊富な (ja) (hōfu na)
• Korean: 많다 (ko) (manta), 풍부(豊富)하다 (ko) (pungbuhada)
• Latin: largus
• Maori: kaimārire
• Russian: оби́льный (ru) (obílʹnyj), ще́дрый (ru) (ščédryj)
• Scottish Gaelic: pailt-làmhach
• Swedish: rundhänt (sv), väl tilltagen, frikostig (sv)

obsolete: unrestrained, licentious

• Finnish: estoton (fi)

widely open to new ideas, willing to depart from established opinions, conventions etc.

• Bulgarian: свободомислещ (bg) (svobodomislešt)
• Catalan: tolerant (ca), liberal (ca)
• Dutch: vrijzinnig (nl)
• Finnish: liberaali (fi), vapaamielinen (fi)
• French: large (fr) m or f
• Japanese: 革新的な (ja) (kakushinteki na)
• Korean: 개방적(開放的)이다 (gaebangjeog-ida), 관대(寬大)하다 (gwandaehada)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: liberal

  Nynorsk: liberal

• Polish: liberalny (pl)
• Russian: либера́льный (ru) (liberálʹnyj)
• Tagalog: malabusaw

open to political or social reforms

• Belarusian: лібера́льны (libjerálʹny)
• Bulgarian: либера́лен (bg) (liberálen)
• Catalan: liberal (ca)
• Cornish: livrel
• Finnish: liberaali (fi)
• French: libéral (fr) m, de gauche
• Galician: liberal (gl) m or f
• German: liberal (de)
• Korean: 진보적(進步的)이다 (jinbojeog-ida)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: liberal

  Nynorsk: liberal

• Polish: liberalny (pl)
• Portuguese: liberal (pt) m or f
• Russian: либера́льный (ru) (liberálʹnyj)
• Spanish: liberal (es)
• Swahili: kiliberali
• Ukrainian: лібера́льний (liberálʹnyj)
• Vietnamese: tụ do chủ nghĩa
• Welsh: rhyddfrydol

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} liberaal (nl), ^{(please verify)} open (nl), ^{(please verify)} libertaire (nl) m or f
• Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} liberala (eo)
• Estonian: ^{(please verify)} liberaalne
• German: ^{(please verify)} liberal (de)
• Greek: ^{(please verify)} φιλελεύθερος (el) m (fileléftheros), ^{(please verify)} ελευθέριος (el) m (elefthérios)
• Indonesian: ^{(please verify)} liberal (id), ^{(please verify)} bebas (id)
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} liberale (it)
• Romanian: ^{(please verify)} liberal (ro)
• Scottish Gaelic: ^{(please verify)} libearalach
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} liberal (es)
• Yiddish: ^{(please verify)} ליבעראַל (liberal)

Noun

liberal (plural liberals)

1. One with liberal views, supporting individual liberty (see Wikipedia's article on Liberalism).
2. (US politics) Someone with progressive or left-wing views; one with a left-wing ideology.
   • 1966, Phil Ochs (lyrics and music), “Love Me, I'm a Liberal”‎^[1]:

     And I love Puerto Ricans and Negros
     As long as they don't move next door.
     So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal.

3. (politics) A supporter of any of several liberal parties.
4. (UK politics) One who favors individual voting rights, human and civil rights, and laissez-faire markets (also called "classical liberal"; compare libertarian).
5. (Australian politics) A conservative, especially a liberal conservative.

Coordinate terms

• moderate, conservative, progressive, libertarian, centrist

Derived terms

• neo-liberal, neoliberal

Translations

one with liberal views, supporting individual liberty

• Belarusian: лібера́л m (libjerál)
• Bulgarian: либера́л m (liberál)
• Catalan: liberal (ca) m or f
• Czech: liberál (cs) m
• Esperanto: liberulo
• Finnish: liberaali (fi)
• French: libéral (fr) m
• German: Liberaler (de) m
• Italian: liberale (it)
• Japanese: 自由主義者 (jiyū shugisha)
• Korean: 자유주의자(自由主義者) (jayujuuija), 진보주의자(進步主義者) (jinbojuuija)
• Maori: Rīpera
• Polish: liberał (pl) m
• Russian: либера́л (ru) m (liberál)
• Scottish Gaelic: libearalach m
• Ukrainian: лібера́л m (liberál)

someone left-wing — see also progressive,‎ left-winger

• Finnish: vasemmistolainen (fi)
• Polish: liberał (pl) m
• Scottish Gaelic: libearalach m

supporter of a liberal party — see also progressive

• Catalan: liberal (ca) m or f
• Finnish: liberaali (fi)
• French: libéral (fr)
• Galician: liberal (gl) m or f
• Greek: φιλελεύθερος (el) m (fileléftheros)
• Korean: 진보주의자(進步主義者) (jinbojuuija)
• Polish: liberał (pl)
• Portuguese: liberal (pt) m or f
• Russian: либера́л (ru) m (liberál)
• Scottish Gaelic: libearalach m
• Spanish: liberal (es) m or f

Britain: one who favors individual voting rights, human and civil rights and laissez-faire markets

• Finnish: liberaali (fi)
• Greek: φιλελεύθερος (el) m (fileléftheros)
• Scottish Gaelic: libearalach m
• Spanish: libertario (es) m, libertaria (es) f

References

• “liberal”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• liberal in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• "liberal" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 179.
• “liberal”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “liberal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Further reading

• “liberal”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “liberal”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “liberal”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “liberal”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.

Anagrams

• Braille, Briella, braille

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”). First attested in the 14th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [li.βəˈɾal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [li.bəˈɾal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [li.beˈɾal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: li‧be‧ral

Adjective

liberal m or f (masculine and feminine plural liberals)

1. generous.
2. tolerant, permissive.
3. (job) A job with economic autonomy and intellectual activity, as in liberal professionals
4. liberal, supporter of economic liberalism.

Derived terms

• liberalisme
• liberalitzar
• liberalment
• neoliberal

 

Further reading

• “liberal” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “liberal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “liberal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

German

Etymology

From Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌlibəˈʁaːl/, /ˌlɪ-/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

liberal (strong nominative masculine singular liberaler, comparative liberaler, superlative am liberalsten)

1. liberal; permissive; allowing personal freedoms

   Seine Eltern waren streng katholische Kirchgänger, aber liberal gegenüber ihren Kindern.

   His parents were strict Catholic church-goers, but were liberal towards their children.

2. (politics) libertarian; liberal in the traditional sense (see usage notes below)

   Die FDP ist die wichtigste liberale Partei in Deutschland.

   The FDP is Germany’s most important libertarian party.

Usage notes

• Liberale Parteien (“libertarian/liberal parties”) in German-speaking Europe are associated with support for free-market economy and small government. These parties most often represent the centre or even the centre-right of the political spectrum. The sense “left-wing”, which English liberal now often has, does not exist in the German word. When used of particular policies, German liberal means “permissive, rejecting legal restraints”. Thus, for example, left-wing parties are more likely to be liberal with regard to abortion, while right-wing parties are more likely to be liberal with regard to arms sales.

Declension

Positive forms of liberal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist liberal	sie ist liberal	es ist liberal	sie sind liberal
strong declension (without article)	nominative	liberaler	liberale	liberales	liberale
	genitive	liberalen	liberaler	liberalen	liberaler
	dative	liberalem	liberaler	liberalem	liberalen
	accusative	liberalen	liberale	liberales	liberale
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der liberale	die liberale	das liberale	die liberalen
	genitive	des liberalen	der liberalen	des liberalen	der liberalen
	dative	dem liberalen	der liberalen	dem liberalen	den liberalen
	accusative	den liberalen	die liberale	das liberale	die liberalen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein liberaler	eine liberale	ein liberales	(keine) liberalen
	genitive	eines liberalen	einer liberalen	eines liberalen	(keiner) liberalen
	dative	einem liberalen	einer liberalen	einem liberalen	(keinen) liberalen
	accusative	einen liberalen	eine liberale	ein liberales	(keine) liberalen

Comparative forms of liberal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist liberaler	sie ist liberaler	es ist liberaler	sie sind liberaler
strong declension (without article)	nominative	liberalerer	liberalere	liberaleres	liberalere
	genitive	liberaleren	liberalerer	liberaleren	liberalerer
	dative	liberalerem	liberalerer	liberalerem	liberaleren
	accusative	liberaleren	liberalere	liberaleres	liberalere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der liberalere	die liberalere	das liberalere	die liberaleren
	genitive	des liberaleren	der liberaleren	des liberaleren	der liberaleren
	dative	dem liberaleren	der liberaleren	dem liberaleren	den liberaleren
	accusative	den liberaleren	die liberalere	das liberalere	die liberaleren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein liberalerer	eine liberalere	ein liberaleres	(keine) liberaleren
	genitive	eines liberaleren	einer liberaleren	eines liberaleren	(keiner) liberaleren
	dative	einem liberaleren	einer liberaleren	einem liberaleren	(keinen) liberaleren
	accusative	einen liberaleren	eine liberalere	ein liberaleres	(keine) liberaleren

Superlative forms of liberal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist am liberalsten	sie ist am liberalsten	es ist am liberalsten	sie sind am liberalsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	liberalster	liberalste	liberalstes	liberalste
	genitive	liberalsten	liberalster	liberalsten	liberalster
	dative	liberalstem	liberalster	liberalstem	liberalsten
	accusative	liberalsten	liberalste	liberalstes	liberalste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der liberalste	die liberalste	das liberalste	die liberalsten
	genitive	des liberalsten	der liberalsten	des liberalsten	der liberalsten
	dative	dem liberalsten	der liberalsten	dem liberalsten	den liberalsten
	accusative	den liberalsten	die liberalste	das liberalste	die liberalsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein liberalster	eine liberalste	ein liberalstes	(keine) liberalsten
	genitive	eines liberalsten	einer liberalsten	eines liberalsten	(keiner) liberalsten
	dative	einem liberalsten	einer liberalsten	einem liberalsten	(keinen) liberalsten
	accusative	einen liberalsten	eine liberalste	ein liberalstes	(keine) liberalsten

Derived terms

• liberalisieren
• Liberalismus

Further reading

• “liberal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “liberal” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch liberaal, from Middle French [Term?] (Modern French libéral), from Old French liberal, from Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [libəˈral]
• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: li‧bê‧ral

Adjective

libêral

1. liberal:
   1. widely open to new ideas, willing to depart from established opinions or conventions; permissive.
   2. open to political or social changes and reforms associated with either classical or modern liberalism.

Derived terms

• peliberalan

 

• demokrasi liberal

 

Related terms

• liberalis
• liberalisasi
• liberalisme
• Libra

 

Further reading

• “liberal” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From French libéral, from Latin liberalis.

Adjective

liberal (masculine and feminine liberal, neuter liberalt, definite singular and plural liberale)

1. liberal

References

• “liberal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “liberal” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From French libéral, from Latin līberālis.

Adjective

liberal (neuter liberalt, definite singular and plural liberale)

1. liberal

References

• “liberal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old French

Etymology

From Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”).

Adjective

liberal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular liberale)

1. appropriate for a free person
2. generous; giving

Descendants

• → English: liberal
• French: libéral

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”).

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /li.beˈɾaw/ [li.beˈɾaʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /li.bɨˈɾal/ [li.βɨˈɾaɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /li.bɨˈɾal/ [li.βɨˈɾaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /li.bɨˈɾa.li/ [li.βɨˈɾa.li]

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Hyphenation: li‧be‧ral

Adjective

liberal m or f (plural liberais)

1. liberal, generous, tolerant
2. (politics) liberal

Derived terms

• liberalmente
• liberalóide

Noun

liberal m or f by sense (plural liberais)

1. (politics) liberal

Usage notes

In Brazil, the political sense of "liberal" is used to describe supporters of economic freedom, like classical liberals.

Romanian

Alternative forms

• либерал (liberal) — post-1930s Cyrillic spelling

Etymology

Borrowed from French libéral, from Latin liberalis. Equivalent to liber +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /libeˈral/
• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: li‧be‧ral

Adjective

liberal m or n (feminine singular liberală, masculine plural liberali, feminine and neuter plural liberale)

1. liberal

Declension

		singular				plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine		masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	liberal		liberală		liberali	liberale
	definite	liberalul		liberala		liberalii	liberalele
genitive- dative	indefinite	liberal		liberale		liberali	liberale
	definite	liberalului		liberalei		liberalilor	liberalelor

Related terms

• liberalism
• liberalitate

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From lȉberālan.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liběraːl/
• Hyphenation: li‧be‧ral

Noun

libèrāl m (Cyrillic spelling либѐра̄л)

1. liberal

Declension

Declension of liberal

	singular	plural
nominative	libèrāl	liberali
genitive	liberála	liberala
dative	liberalu	liberalima
accusative	liberala	liberale
vocative	liberale	liberali
locative	liberalu	liberalima
instrumental	liberalom	liberalima

References

• “liberal”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /libeˈɾal/ [li.β̞eˈɾal]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: li‧be‧ral

Adjective

liberal m or f (masculine and feminine plural liberales)

1. liberal (clarification of this definition is needed)
2. (US politics) liberal
3. (Argentina, Uruguay) libertarian

Derived terms

• antiliberal
• artes liberales
• democracia liberal
• liberalismo
• liberalizar
• liberalmente

 

Related terms

• liberalidad

 

Noun

liberal m or f by sense (plural liberales)

1. liberal
2. (US politics) liberal
3. (Argentina, Uruguay) libertarian

Usage notes

• In Latin America and Spain, the political sense of "liberal" is used to describe supporters of economic freedom, like classical liberals.

Further reading

• “liberal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Swedish

Etymology

From Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

liberal (comparative liberalare, superlative liberalast)

1. liberal

Declension

Inflection of liberal

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	liberal	liberalare	liberalast
neuter singular	liberalt	liberalare	liberalast
plural	liberala	liberalare	liberalast
masculine plural2	liberale	liberalare	liberalast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	liberale	liberalare	liberalaste
all	liberala	liberalare	liberalaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Noun

liberal c

1. a liberal

Declension

Declension of liberal

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	liberal	liberals
	definite	liberalen	liberalens
plural	indefinite	liberaler	liberalers
	definite	liberalerna	liberalernas

Related terms

• liberalisera
• liberalism
• liberalistisk
• liberalitet

References

• liberal in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• liberal in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• liberal in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish liberal.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /libeˈɾal/ [lɪ.bɛˈɾal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: li‧be‧ral

Adjective

liberál (Baybayin spelling ᜎᜒᜊᜒᜇᜎ᜔)

1. liberal

Derived terms

• lapiang liberal

 

Related terms

• liberalismo
• liberasyon
• libertad
• partido liberal
• Partido Liberal

 

Turkish

Etymology

From French libéral.

Adjective

liberal

1. liberal