Dictionary.com

libertarian

[ lib-er-tair-ee-uhn ]
/ ˌlɪb ərˈtɛər i ən /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for libertarian on Thesaurus.com
noun
a person who advocates liberty, especially with regard to thought or conduct.
a person who maintains the doctrine of free will (distinguished from necessitarian).
adjective
advocating liberty or conforming to principles of liberty.
maintaining the doctrine of free will.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!
Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between "it’s" and "its" in this crafty quiz!
Question 1 of 8
On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
it's
its
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of libertarian

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

OTHER WORDS FROM libertarian

lib·er·tar·i·an·ism, nounan·ti·lib·er·tar·i·an, adjective, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to libertarian

autonomous, constitutional, egalitarian, free, orderly, popular, enlightened, flexible, humanistic, lenient, permissive, radical, reformist, tolerant, avant-garde, broad, catholic, general, humanitarian, latitudinarian

How to use libertarian in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for libertarian

libertarian
/ (ˌlɪbəˈtɛərɪən) /
noun
a believer in freedom of thought, expression, etc
philosophy a believer in the doctrine of free willCompare determinism
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of a libertarian

Derived forms of libertarian

libertarianism, noun

Word Origin for libertarian

C18: from liberty
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
FEEDBACK