ad lib

/æd ˈlɪb/

//æd ˈlɪb// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"ad-lib" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ad lib” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - At pleasure.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ad-lib · ad lib · English

ad lib · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for ad lib
PropertyValue
Headwordad lib
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/æd ˈlɪb/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “ad lib” in English

ad libsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

ad lib is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadverb, transcribed /æd ˈlɪb/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for ad lib in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Abbreviation of ad libitum, borrowed from New Latin ad libitum. The correct English form is ad lib, spelled A-D- -L-I-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    At pleasure.
  2. 2
    At will.
  3. 3
    As much as desired, to one's fill, without restriction.
  4. 4
    Extemporaneously.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how ad lib appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. For one thing I had a splendid supper when I got on board—a whack of cold, lean beef and pighells, bread, butter ad lib., tea, and plenty of good bread.

Etymology

Abbreviation of ad libitum, borrowed from New Latin ad libitum.

Synonyms

a piacere

This word in other languages

ad libitum(Español)ad libitum(Français)beliebig(Deutsch)à vontade(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ad lib"?
"ad lib" is spelled A-D- -L-I-B. The IPA pronunciation is /æd ˈlɪb/.
What does "ad lib" mean?
As an adverb, "ad lib" means: At pleasure.
How do you pronounce "ad lib"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ad lib" is /æd ˈlɪb/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "ad lib"?
Abbreviation of ad libitum, borrowed from New Latin ad libitum. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list