liberal
32
3.9
- adjective
- /ˈlɪbərəl/
:
generoso
- In the 18th and early 19th centuries, liberal simply meant generous.
And I'm pretty liberal with the gel, just so you know, I like to go directly on the tip.
- And I'm pretty liberal with the gel, just so you know, I like to go directly on the tip.
- And I'm going to be quite liberal with the Givenchy setting powder because I do want this makeup to stay.
Examples
-
He's a liberal arts professor at Clairfield College.
-
It's for this liberal organization.
-
Their commitment to the liberal arts and to the role of the teacher is remarkably strong.
Academic text (1991) -
It's a liberal arts college in Vermont.
-
Sachs was an undergrad at the time, a liberal arts student with a very brilliant mind.
Fiction book (1995) -
Increasingly, books on child-rearing have stressed the need for a permissive, liberal home environment.
Academic text (1991) -
And you've seen some people who actually are genuinely generous or what Aristotle would call liberal minded.
-
The charity received a liberal donation from the local business, which allowed them to help even more families in need.
-
During the fundraiser, the wealthy philanthropist gave a liberal amount of money to support education initiatives.
-
She is known for her liberal contributions to various causes, often donating both time and money generously.
Synonyms
523
2.7
Generous and willing to forgive others
328
1.6
Willing to give more than is expected, especially money or time
53
5.1
Willing to help other people and give them things they need
20
6.8
Wanting to help people by giving money to those in need
19
4.9
Having a lot of something, especially food or things grown in a garden
3
7.3
Giving a large amount freely, like food or money
1
2.6
Being kind and generous and willing to help others
Willing to share money, time, or help with others
A person who gives money, time, or help freely to others
Giving money or help freely without holding back
Giving money, help, or time to others in a kind way
Antonyms
Idioms
A saying that some people who call themselves liberal may show authoritarian views when challenged
Compounds
25
3.7
College or university studies that teach broad knowledge and thinking skills across subjects like literature and history
11
3.6
A UK political party in the centre that supports liberal social policies and reforms to help working people
- Literature
3
7.7
A group of people with liberal views who have more money, status, and influence
- Offensive
2
9.4
A rich person who supports liberal ideas but is out of touch with ordinary people
How Generous
Surface Forms
Morphology
liberal = liber + al
The sense 'generous / giving freely' follows directly from the notion of 'free' associated with the root, so learners who know related words can readily infer this meaning.
Etymology
Liberal comes from the Latin liber meaning 'free', and it was used for giving things 'freely', which is why liberal can mean generous or willing to give a lot.