ad libitum

American  

[ad lib-i-tuhm, ahd lib-i-toom] / æd ˈlɪb ɪ təm, ɑd ˈlɪb ɪˌtʊm /

adjective

1. at one's pleasure.

2. Music. not obligatory or indispensable. ad lib.

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ad libitum British  

/ ˈlɪbɪtʊm, -təm /

adjective

1. Often shortened to: ad lib.  music (to be performed) at the performer's discretion

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Etymology

Origin of ad libitum

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1695–1705

Example Sentences

One group was permitted ad libitum feeding, which is eating whenever they wanted.

From Salon

Half of the mice ate all their food in 8 hours during the night, as mice usually do, while the other half ate ad libitum, anytime they wanted.

From Salon

But social media is starting to compete with, or even replace, nationally visible conversations in print and on broadcast media with ad libitum, personalized discourse on virtual social networks3.

From Nature

Other studies, however, have found increased mortality in younger people who drink larger amounts of coffee; it’s studies like these that make researchers hesitant to give consumers the go-ahead to drink coffee ad libitum.

From Forbes

Mice were housed under pathogen-free conditions in the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine rodent facility with access to water and chow ad libitum.

From Nature