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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. An economic doctrine that opposes governmental regulation of or interference in commerce beyond the minimum necessary for a free-enterprise system to operate according to its own economic laws.
  2. n. Noninterference in the affairs of others.

Wiktionary

  1. n. economics A policy of governmental non-interference in economic affairs.
  2. n. A policy of non-interference by authority in any competitive process.
  3. adj. economics, politics Practicing or representing governmental noninterference, or minimal interference, especially in economic affairs; pertaining to free-market capitalism.
  4. adj. economics, politics Advocating such noninterference.
  5. adj. economics Resulting from such noninterference.
  6. adj. of a person Avoiding interference in other people's affairs; choosing to live and let live.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. Noninterference; -- an axiom of some political economists, deprecating interference of government by attempts to foster or regulate commerce, manufactures, etc., by bounty or by restriction

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. the doctrine that government should not interfere in commercial affairs

Etymologies

  1. From French laissez faire ("leave it be", literally "let do") (Wiktionary)
  2. French : laissez, second person pl. imperative of laisser, to let, allow + faire, to do. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

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synonyms (1)

Words with the same meaning

  1. noninterference

hypernyms (5)

Words that are more generic or abstract

  1. ism
  1. philosophy
  1. school of thought
  1. doctrine
  1. philosophical system

reverse dictionary (5)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. the let-alone principle
  1. manchesterism
  1. private enterprise
  1. liberalism
  1. liberal

tagging (1)

Words tagged ‘laissez faire’

  1. laissez-faire

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Comments

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  • whichbe I guess the "small government" refrain is a dog-whistle for this ol' invisible hand Capitalist tenet. Nov 26, 2008

  • d4divine the belief that government and law should not interfere into the businesses or conditions of people's working lives May 29, 2008

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‘laissez faire’ has been looked up 3166 times, loved by 5 people, added to 19 lists, commented on 2 times, and is not a valid Scrabble word.