libertarian

[lib-er-tair-ee-uh n]

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.

Origin of libertarian

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

Related formslib·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. 2019

Examples from the Web for libertarianism

Contemporary Examples of libertarianism

He offered his thoughts on President Obama, libertarianism and the importance of voting.
Watch Steve Earle Rant About GOP Victory
The Daily Beast Video
November 6, 2014
The point of libertarianism is to limit (or, Inshallah, diminish) the size, power, and expense of government.
Up To A Point: My Problem With People Who Agree With Me
P. J. O’Rourke
July 20, 2014
To somehow claim him as a hero for libertarianism beggars belief.
Why The Tea Party Won’t Go Away And More Wisdom From Matt Kibbe
Michael Signer
April 23, 2014
Funny, but his libertarianism does not extend to giving a woman the right to decide whether to have an abortion.
Rand Paul Woos the Base With Hot Monica Lewinsky Talk
Michael Tomasky
February 12, 2014
We have seen the expansion of libertarianism over the past several years.
Ron Paul Hits Reddit
The Daily Beast
August 22, 2013

British Dictionary definitions for libertarianism

libertarian

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 Formslibertarianism, 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

Word Origin and History for libertarianism

libertarian

1789, "one who holds the doctrine of free will" (opposed to necessitarian), from liberty (q.v.) on model of unitarian, etc. Political sense of "person advocating liberty in thought and conduct" is from 1878. As an adjective by 1882. U.S. Libertarian Party founded in Colorado, 1971.