ad lib

[ ad -lib, ad ]

/ æd ˈlɪb, ˈæd /

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See synonyms for ad lib on Thesaurus.com

noun

something improvised in speech, music, etc.: Was that joke part of your speech or an ad lib?

adverb

at one's pleasure; without restriction.

freely; as needed; without stint: Water can be given to the patients ad lib.

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Origin of ad lib

First recorded in 1810–20; see origin at ad libitum

Words nearby ad lib

ADL, Adlai, adland, Adler, Adlerian, ad lib, ad libitum, ad litem, ad litteram, ad loc., adm.

Other definitions for ad lib (2 of 3)

ad-lib

[ ad-lib, ad- ]

/ ædˈlɪb, ˈæd- /

verb (used with object), ad-libbed, ad-lib·bing.

to improvise all or part of (a speech, a piece of music, etc.): to ad-lib one's lines.

verb (used without object), ad-libbed, ad-lib·bing.

to act, speak, etc., without preparation: Throughout the play he had to ad-lib constantly.

adjective

impromptu; extemporaneous: ad-lib remarks to hecklers.

Origin of ad-lib

1915–20, Americanism; v. use of ad lib

OTHER WORDS FROM ad-lib

ad-libber, noun

Other definitions for ad lib (3 of 3)

ad lib.

abbreviation

ad libitum.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use ad lib in a sentence

A lot of the culture around movies in the sci-fi/fantasy genre is about deconstructing them ad nauseam.
Patton Oswalt on Fighting Conservatives With Satire|William O’Connor|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Yes, publicizing tragedy gets clicks, gets ad revenue, gets notoriety, and can be done for all the wrong reasons.
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism|Arthur Chu|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
When it came to Android, however, it was ad-supported but free.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Late former governors of NY, TX starred in a 1994 snack chip ad.
Mario Cuomo, Ann Richards Concede to Doritos|The Daily Beast Video|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST

But an ad-supported version of Desert Golfing was impossible.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
"I supposed you 'adn't, as 'e ain't 'ere, with yer ma," replied the young person.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
Postrem quid nobis effectum hactenus, seu potis quid attentatum sit ad diuinam gloriam.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Cert ante hoc tempus vix vnquam Gallis vacatum fuit conuertdis incolarum ad Christum animis.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
I don't blame him for killin' the cuss, not a bit; I'd have shot any man livin' that 'ad taken a good horse o' mine up that trail.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
In hoc Isthmo portus regalis est, vbi nunc degimus, ad gradum latitudinis quadragesimum quartum cum besse.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

British Dictionary definitions for ad lib

ad-lib

/ (ædˈlɪb) /

verb -libs, -libbing or -libbed

to improvise and deliver without preparation (a speech, musical performance, etc)

adjective (ad lib when predicative)

improvised; impromptu

adverb ad lib

without restraint; freely

music short for ad libitum

noun

an improvised performance, often humorous

Derived forms of ad-lib

ad-libber, noun

Word Origin for ad-lib

C18: short for Latin ad libitum, literally: according to pleasure

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for ad lib