libertarian

[lib-er-tair-ee-uhn]

noun

1. a follower of a political philosophy or party that advocates individual liberty achieved by limiting the power of a central government.

   Whether left- or right-leaning, libertarians generally oppose taxation and support free trade.

2. a person who advocates liberty, especially with regard to thought or conduct.

3. a person who maintains the doctrine of free will (necessitarian ).

adjective

1. of or relating to a political philosophy or party that advocates individual liberty achieved by limiting the power of a central government.

   libertarian views;

   a libertarian economist.

2. advocating or conforming to the principles of liberty.

3. maintaining the doctrine of free will.

libertarian

/ ˌlɪbəˈtɛərɪən /

noun

1. a believer in freedom of thought, expression, etc

2. philosophy a believer in the doctrine of free will Compare determinism

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a libertarian

Other Word Forms

• libertarianism noun
• antilibertarian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of libertarian¹

First recorded in 1780–90; libert(y) + -arian

Word History and Origins

Origin of libertarian¹

C18: from _liberty

Example Sentences

The administration of the libertarian Milei is grappling with significant obstacles to his ambitious economic overhaul agenda and fighting against runaway inflation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Guests at the ceremony included visiting Argentinian President Javier Milei, a libertarian firebrand, and a host of conservative US media personalities.

Read more on Barron's

In 2019, he dressed up in a "libertarian superhero" costume, purporting to be from Liberland - a land where no taxes are paid.

Read more on BBC

“Environmental regulations are, in my view, largely terrible,” he said at an event with the libertarian Cato Institute last year.

Read more on Salon

The libertarian Argentine president’s government has taken aggressive steps to allow the free market to take control.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• autonomous 
• constitutional 
• egalitarian 
• free 
• orderly 
• popular