liberal

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“
To some, the difference between a Segal Tory (Segalism, according to Corcoran) and a liberal is a matter of degree and semantics, with very little difference.

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Definitions (39)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (13)

  1. adjective Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
  2. adjective Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
  3. adjective Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (17)

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Examples (24)

  • The worst enemy of a liberal is their own lack of soul and I just love it that Sarah Palin is stuck in their craw, Rush Limbaugh is a big festering Conservative log in their empty hearts and all of this means more Sarah so more Americans will adore her. —  NewsBusters.org - Exposing Liberal Media Bias
  • According to this quiz, my breed of liberal is "Reality-Based Intellectualist," also known as the liberal elite. —  Pajiba
  • The dictionary tells us that a liberal is a person who is "broad minded, tolerant, favoring civil liberties, democratic reforms, and the use of public resources to promote social progress." —  Anderson Independent Mail Stories
  • Sigurdardottir, 66, has a long background in Icelandic liberal politics. —  Original Signal - Transmitting Buzz
  • Obama may be classified as a liberal or worse, BUT he has not yet given orders to stop killing people that want to kill Americans. —  legitgov
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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

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liberal:   liberals
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, generous, from Old French, from Latin līberālis, from līber, free; see leudh- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Middle English liberal, from Old French liberal, French libéral = Spanish Portuguese liberal = Italian liberale, from Latin liberalis, befitting a freeman, from liber (Old Latin *loeber, loebes), free; akin to libet, it pleases, Greek λίπτειν, desire, Sanskrit √ lubh, desire, Anglo-Saxon leóf, dear, lufian, love: see lief, love, leave. From the same Latin source (liber, libet) are ult. English liberate, liberty, libertine, libidinous, liver, livery, deliver, etc.
 

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/ˈlɪbərəl/
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