see|Liberal
English

Etymology
From Latin liber meaning free.

Pronunciation
audio|en-us-liberal.ogg|Audio (US)

Adjective
en-adj

1. Generous in quantity.

#: Add a liberal sprinkling of salt.

1. A political description, following liberalism.
2. Based on optimistic assumptions.

#: At a liberal estimate, growth could exceed 5% next year.

1. Favoring social freedom; permissive.

#: Her parents had liberal ideas about child-rearing.

1. Favoring ideas that treat all people with equal justice regardless of educational, financial, sexual or racial status.
2. US Opposing conservative positions, particularly those of social conservatives.
3. UK Opposing both conservative and socialist positions, particularly those of economic protectionists and authoritarians.
4. US Related to Classical Liberalism, as in the political philosophy of American Conservatives who emphasize liberty, and also Libertarians.

Related terms
liberal arts
Liberal Democrat
Liberal Party
liberate
libertarian
liberty

See also
conservative

Translations
trans-top|Generous in quantity
Finnish: avokätinen
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|A political description, following liberalism, sometimes used without regard to true meaning, as a pejorative
Finnish: liberaali
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|Based on optimistic assumptions
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|Favoring social freedom; permissive
Finnish: liberaalinen, vapaamielinen
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|Favoring ideas that treat all people with equal justice regardless of educational, financial, sexual or racial status
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|Opposing conservative positions, particularly those of social conservatives
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|Opposing both conservative and socialist positions, particularly those of economic protectionists and authoritarians
trans-mid
trans-bottom

Translations to be checked
checktrans

ttbc|Dutch: liberaal, liberale, vrijzinnig
ttbc|Estonian: liberaalne
ttbc|French: libéral, libérale
ttbc|German: liberal
ttbc|Indonesian: liberal, bebas
ttbc|Italian: liberale
mid
ttbc|Japanese: ���� (riberaru), �� (���, jiyū)
ttbc|Korean: �� (jayu)
ttbc|Polish: liberalny
ttbc|Romanian: liberal m liberal� f
ttbc|Spanish: liberal#Spanish|liberal

Noun
en-noun

1. One with liberal views, supporting individual liberty (see w:liberalism|Wikipedia on Liberalism for a description of the various and diverging trends of liberalism).
2. A supporter of any of the particular liberal parties.
3. US One opposing the views of a social conservative and favoring socially responsible taxes. Sometimes used pejoratively in political campaigns.
4. italbrac|US|Also 'classical liberal', akin to libertarian A person who favors individual voting rights, human and civil rights, individual gun-rights, laissez-faire markets, and the gold standard.

Translations
trans-top|One with liberal views, supporting individual liberty
Finnish: liberaali
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|A supporter of any of the particular liberal parties
Finnish: liberaalinen|liberaalisen puolue|puolueen kannattaja
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|One opposing the views of a social conservative and favoring socially responsible taxes
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|A person who favors individual voting rights, human and civil rights, individual gun-rights, laissez-faire markets, and the gold standard
trans-mid
trans-bottom

de:liberal
el:liberal
fa:liberal
fr:liberal
gl:liberal
hy:liberal
io:liberal
it:liberal
kk:liberal
hu:liberal
ja:liberal
ru:liberal
simple:liberal
fi:liberal
sv:liberal
ta:liberal
te:liberal
vi:liberal
tr:liberal
zh:liberal

• 2007-12-16 11:02 - 128.118.226.88 - /* Adjective */ no more pejorative than [[conservative]] or [[ring wing]]

Full Revision History