Liberal
/ˈlɪb.ər.əl/noun
Willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas.
Did you know?The roots of 'Liberal' tie back to the Latin 'liber', meaning 'free', connecting it to concepts of freedom and liberation in philosophy and politics.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leudh-
“to grow, to be free”
Latin
Latin
liber
“free, unrestricted, not a slave”
Old French
Old French
libéral
“generous, pertaining to freedom, noble”
14th Century
Middle English
liberal
“pertaining to the liberal arts; generous”
Modern English
English
liberal
“supporting political and social reform; open-minded”