liberal
adjective
[ ˈlɪb(ə)r(ə)l ]
• willing to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas.
• "they have liberal views on divorce"
• relating to or denoting a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise.
Similar:
tolerant,
unprejudiced,
unbigoted,
broad-minded,
open-minded,
enlightened,
forbearing,
permissive,
free,
free and easy,
easy-going,
laissez-faire,
libertarian,
latitudinarian,
unbiased,
impartial,
non-partisan,
indulgent,
lenient,
lax,
soft,
• relating to a Liberal party or (in the UK) the Liberal Democrat Party.
• given, used, or occurring in generous amounts.
Similar:
abundant,
copious,
ample,
plentiful,
generous,
lavish,
luxuriant,
profuse,
considerable,
prolific,
rich,
galore,
excessive,
immoderate,
superabundant,
overabundant,
over the top,
plenteous,
• (of education) concerned with broadening a person's general knowledge and experience, rather than with technical or professional training.
• (especially of an interpretation of a law) broadly construed or understood; not strictly literal or exact.
Similar:
flexible,
broad,
loose,
rough,
non-restrictive,
free,
general,
non-literal,
non-specific,
not literal,
not strict,
not close,
inexact,
imprecise,
vague,
indefinite,
ill-defined,
unrigorous,
unmeticulous,
Opposite:
strict,
to the letter,
liberal
noun
• a supporter of policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare.
• 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"
• a supporter or member of a Liberal party or (in the UK) the Liberal Democrat Party.
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).
