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   liberal

   /ˈlɪb(ə)rəl/

   adjective

   • 1. willing to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas: "they have liberal views on divorce" Similar tolerantunprejudicedunbigotedbroad-mindedopen-mindedenlightenedforbearingpermissivefreefree and easyeasy-goinglaissez-fairelibertarianlatitudinarianunbiasedimpartialnon-partisanindulgentlenientlaxsoftOpposite narrow-mindedbigoted
   • ▪ (in a political context) favouring policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare: "they favour liberal ideologies over conservative ones" Similar progressiveforward-lookingforward-thinkingprogressivistgo-aheadenlightenedreformistradicalfreethinkingleft-wingleftistpolitically correctPCinformal:wokeright-onOpposite conservativereactionary
   • ▪ regarding many traditional beliefs as dispensable, invalidated by modern thought, or liable to change.
   • 2. relating to or denoting a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise: "a liberal democratic state" Similar progressiveforward-lookingforward-thinkingprogressivistgo-aheadenlightenedreformistradicalfreethinkingleft-wingleftistpolitically correctPCinformal:wokeright-onOpposite conservativereactionary
   • 3. relating to a Liberal party or (in the UK) the Liberal Democrat Party: "the Liberal leader"
   • 4. given, used, or occurring in generous amounts: "liberal amounts of wine had been consumed" Similar abundantcopiousampleplentifulgenerouslavishluxuriantprofuseconsiderableprolificrichgaloreexcessiveimmoderatesuperabundantoverabundantinformal:over the topliterary:plenteousOpposite scant
   • ▪ (of a person) giving generously: "Sam was too liberal with the wine" Similar generousmagnanimousopen-handedunsparingunstintingungrudginglavishfreemunificentbountifulbeneficentbenevolentbig-heartedkind-heartedkindphilanthropiccharitablealtruisticunselfishextravagantovergenerousgenerous to a faultimmoderatewastefuloverabundantprofligateprodigalthriftlessimprovidentintemperateunrestrainedwildinformal:over the topliterary:bounteousOpposite miserlycareful
   • 5. (of education) concerned with broadening a person's general knowledge and experience, rather than with technical or professional training: "the provision of liberal adult education" Similar wide-rangingbroad-basedgeneralhumanistic
   • 6. (especially of an interpretation of a law) broadly construed or understood; not strictly literal or exact: "they could have given the 1968 Act a more liberal interpretation" Similar flexiblebroadlooseroughnon-restrictivefreegeneralnon-literalnon-specificnot literalnot strictnot closeinexactimprecisevagueindefiniteill-definedunrigorousunmeticulousOpposite strictto the letter

   noun

   • 1. a supporter of policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare: "are we dealing with a polarization between liberals and conservatives?"
   • 2. a supporter of a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise: "classical liberals emphasized the right of the individual to make decisions, even if the results dismayed their neighbours or injured themselves"
   • 3. a supporter or member of a Liberal party or (in the UK) the Liberal Democrat Party: "the Liberals are looking to defend a seat in Tuebrook and Stoneycroft"

   Word Origin Middle English: via Old French from Latin liberalis, from liber ‘free (man)’. The original sense was ‘suitable for a free man’, hence ‘suitable for a gentleman’ (one not tied to a trade), surviving in liberal arts. Another early sense ‘generous’ (compare with liberal (sense 4 of the adjective)) gave rise to an obsolete meaning ‘free from restraint’, leading to liberal (sense 1 of the adjective) (late 18th century).

   Derivatives

   • 1. liberalness noun

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • L

     1

   • I

     1

   • B

     3

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • A

     1

   • L

     1

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