liberty

¹ American  

[lib-er-tee] / ˈlɪb ər ti /

noun

plural

liberties

1. freedom from arbitrary or despotic government or control.

2. freedom from external or foreign rule; independence.

3. freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc., according to choice.

4. freedom from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint.

   The prisoner soon regained his liberty.

   Synonyms:

   liberation

5. permission granted to a sailor, especially in the navy, to go ashore.

6. freedom or right to frequent or use a place.

   The visitors were given the liberty of the city.

   Synonyms:

   immunity, privilege, license, permission, franchise

7. unwarranted or impertinent freedom in action or speech, or a form or instance of it.

   to take liberties.

8. a female figure personifying freedom from despotism.

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idioms

1. at liberty,

   1. free from captivity or restraint.

   2. unemployed; out of work.

   3. free to do or be as specified.

      You are at liberty to leave at any time during the meeting.

Liberty ² American  

[lib-er-tee] / ˈlɪb ər ti /

noun

1. a town in W Missouri.

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liberty British  

/ ˈlɪbətɪ /

noun

1. the power of choosing, thinking, and acting for oneself; freedom from control or restriction

2. the right or privilege of access to a particular place; freedom

3. (often plural) a social action regarded as being familiar, forward, or improper

4. (often plural) an action that is unauthorized or unwarranted in the circumstances

   he took liberties with the translation

5. 1. authorized leave granted to a sailor

   2. ( as modifier )

      liberty man

      liberty boat

6. free, unoccupied, or unrestricted

7. to be overfamiliar or overpresumptuous (with)

8. to venture or presume (to do something)

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liberty More Idioms  

1. see at liberty; take the liberty of.

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Related Words

See freedom.

Etymology

Origin of liberty

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English liberte, from Middle French, from Latin lībertāt-, stem of lībertās, equivalent to līber “free” + -tās -ty ²

Explanation

Liberty is a kind of freedom, whether it's freedom from tyranny, freedom from confinement, or simply the freedom of choice. The phrase "give me liberty or give me death" is attributed to Patrick Henry, whose 1775 speech persuaded the Virginia colony to raise troops to fight the British in the American Revolutionary War. For sailors and naval officers, liberty means shore leave — a brief vacation on land between voyages. We also use this noun to describe the act of getting a little too familiar or personal with someone, or doing something before we have their approval or permission.

Example Sentences

The cases rely on the Constitution’s guarantee of due process before being deprived of life, liberty or property.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

The Presidential Records Act plays an important role in preserving the liberty and security that Henry and Lincoln spoke about.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026

This policy derived in part from the founders’ dedication to liberty, which they understood in the sense Montesquieu describes in his book “The Spirit of the Laws.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

He defined liberty as “security,” or at least one’s belief that one is secure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Some delegates, like George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, thought that slavery itself would eventually die out as the ideals of liberty and freedom behind the Revolution took hold in America.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis