liberal
UK[ˈlɪb(ə)rəl]US[ˈlɪb(ə)rəl]
adj
willing to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas.
adj
relating to or denoting a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise.
adj
given, used, or occurring in generous amounts.
n
a supporter of policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare.
Morpheme Breakdown
liber
al
liber
free
al
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word 'liberal' originates from the latin adjective 'liberalis', which means 'of or pertaining to a free person'. this derives from the root noun 'liber', signifying 'a free man', as opposed to a slave. the concept of freedom was central to the roman idea of a gentleman's education, the 'artes liberales' or liberal arts, which were studies befitting a free citizen. over time, the term evolved through old french 'liberal' to english, broadening from 'generous' and 'open-minded' to encapsulate the modern political and social philosophy that champions individual liberty and open societies.
Analysis
Structure: liber (free) + al (adjective suffix)
liber is from latin 'liber', meaning 'free'. al is a latin-derived suffix forming adjectives meaning 'of, relating to, or characterized by'.
Examples
she has very liberal views on social issues.
the party advocates for liberal economic policies.
he was liberal with his praise and encouragement.