# liberal

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹəl/ · frequency rank #2,217

## Definitions
1. Pertaining to those arts and sciences the study of which is considered to provide general knowledge, as opposed to vocational/occupational, technical or mechanical training.
2. Generous; permitting liberty; willing to give unsparingly.
3. Ample, abundant; generous in quantity.
4. Unrestrained, licentious.
5. Widely open to new ideas, willing to depart from established opinions or conventions; permissive.
6. Open to political or social changes and reforms associated with either classical or modern liberalism.

## Etymology
The adjective is from Old French liberal, from Latin līberālis (“befitting a freeman”), from līber (“free”); it is attested since the 14th century. The noun is first attested in the 1800s.

## Easily confused with
- **libra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liberal-vs-libra)
- **liberty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liberal-vs-liberty)
- **literal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liberal-vs-literal)
- **Liberia** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liberal-vs-liberia)
- **liberate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liberal-vs-liberate)
- **Liberian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liberal-vs-liberian)
- **liberally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liberal-vs-liberally)
- **libel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/libel-vs-liberal)
- **liber** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liber-vs-liberal)
- **lateral** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lateral-vs-liberal)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ilberal`, `lbieral`, `libberal`, `libearl`, `liberall`, `liberla`, `liberral`, `libreal`, `liebral`, `lliberal`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/liberal