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

Read more on Barron's

“What I can tell you is that over the years, conservatives, libertarians, were just pushed out,” Sanger said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Sacks, a libertarian who extols the virtues of a Darwinian free market, is riding high off the AI world’s embrace of the president’s policies.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It has always been a bit of a farce, the way America’s right-wing libertarians speak up for “freedom” only when a government, led by Democrats, is explicitly involved.

Read more on Salon

It may turn out to be a slight overreach, given the existence of weirdo Republicans like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul who cling to the last tattered remnants of libertarian ideals.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

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