Definition of liberal Liberal

/lɪˈbɚʌl/ - [liberul] - Lib•er•al

We found 28 definitions of liberal from 7 different sources.

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What does liberal mean?

WordNet

WordNet by Princeton University

Noun

Plural: liberals

liberal - a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties
  liberalist, progressive
  conservativist, conservative a person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas
  grownup, adult any mature animal
  armchair liberal a person of liberal ideals who takes no action to realize them
  latitudinarian a person who is broad-minded and tolerant (especially in standards of religious belief and conduct)
  neoliberal a liberal who subscribes to neoliberalism
  pluralist someone who believes that distinct ethnic or cultural or religious groups can exist together in society
liberal - a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and self-regulating markets

Adjective
liberal - tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition
  conservative resistant to change
  left intended for the left hand; "I rarely lose a left-hand glove"
  political orientation, political theory, ideology an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation
  civil-libertarian having or showing active concern for protection of civil liberties protected by law
  liberalistic having or demonstrating belief in the essential goodness of man and the autonomy of the individual; favoring civil and political liberties, government by law with the consent of the governed, and protection from arbitrary authority
  neoliberal having or showing belief in the need for economic growth in addition to traditional liberalistic values
  reform-minded, reformist, progressive advancing in severity; "progressive paralysis"
  socialised, socialized under group or government control; "socialized ownership"; "socialized medicine"
liberal - having political or social views favoring reform and progress
  left intended for the left hand; "I rarely lose a left-hand glove"
liberal - given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday's child is loving and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent gift"; "her fond and openhanded grandfather"
  big, bighearted, bounteous, bountiful, freehanded, handsome, giving, openhanded
  generous more than adequate; "a generous portion"
liberal - showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant of his opponent's opinions"
  broad, large-minded, tolerant
  broad-minded inclined to respect views and beliefs that differ from your own; "a judge who is broad-minded but even-handed"
liberal - not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told"; "a free translation of the poem"
  free, loose
  inexact not exact
= synonym
= antonym
= related word

Wiktionary Wiktionary dictionary logo

  • liberal (Noun)
    One with liberal views, supporting individual liberty see Wikipedia's article on Liberalism .
  • liberal (Noun)
    Someone left-wing; one with a left-wing ideology.
  • liberal (Noun)
    A supporter of any of several liberal parties.
  • liberal (Adjective)
    Generous, willing to give unsparingly;.
  • liberal (Adjective)
    Ample, abundant; generous in quantity.
  • liberal (Adjective)
    Unrestrained, licentious.
  • liberal (Adjective)
    Widely open to new ideas, willing to depart from established opinions or conventions; permissive.
  • liberal (Adjective)
    Open to political or social changes and reforms associated with either classical or modern liberalism.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

  • liberal (a.)
    Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies.
  • liberal (a.)
    Bestowing in a large and noble way, as a freeman; generous; bounteous; open-handed; as, a liberal giver.
  • liberal (a.)
    Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient; abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a liberal discharge of matter or of water.
  • liberal (a.)
    Not strict or rigorous; not confined or restricted to the literal sense; free; as, a liberal translation of a classic, or a liberal construction of law or of language.
  • liberal (a.)
    Not narrow or contracted in mind; not selfish; enlarged in spirit; catholic.
  • liberal (a.)
    Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint; licentious.
  • liberal (a.)
    Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion; not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the constitution or administration of government; having tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party.
  • liberal (n.)
    One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

  • liberal
    Generous in quantity.
  • liberal
    Favoring social freedom; permissive.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

  • liberal
    lib′ėr-al, adj. becoming a gentleman: generous: noble-minded: candid: free: free from restraint: general, extensive.—n. one who advocates greater freedom in political institutions.—n. Liberalisā′tion, the process of making liberal.—v.t. Lib′eralise, to make liberal, or enlightened: to enlarge.—ns. Lib′eralism, the principles of a Liberal in politics or religion; Liberal′ity, the quality of being liberal: generosity: largeness or nobleness of mind: candour: impartiality.—adv. Lib′erally.—v.t. Lib′erāte, to set free: to release from restraint, confinement, or bondage.—ns. Liberā′tion; Liberā′tionist, one who is in favour of church disestablishment; Lib′erātor, one who liberates or frees.—adj. Lib′erātory, tending to liberate.—Liberal Party, the name adopted by the Whigs (1830) to denote the body formed by their union with the Radicals; Liberal Unionist, one of that section of the Liberal Party which joined the Conservatives from inability to accede to Mr Gladstone's policy of giving Home Rule to Ireland (1886); German Liberals, a party in German politics, formed by the amalgamation of the Progressist party and the Liberal union, and advocating moderate liberalism in opposition to the policy of Prince Bismarck; National Liberals, a party in German politics which before 1871 advocated the completion of governmental unity in Germany, as well as supported progressive measures of reform. [Fr.,—L. liberalis, befitting a freeman—liber, free, akin to libet, lubet, it pleases.]

Proverbs DictionaryProverbs Dictionary 📗

  • liberal
    The liberal man deviseth liberal things.

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Sign Language

liberal in sign language
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