Etymologically
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liberaliter

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [liː.bɛˈraː.lɪ.tɛr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [li.beˈraː.li.ter][1]

Forms

līberāliter (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

It is from līberālis “of a free man, generous” with the adverb suffix -ter, from līber “free”.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, “generously”.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant like a free man, as in Terence; generously, nobly, obligingly, as in Plautus; and on a generous scale, abundantly, as in Cicero.[2] Caesar has līberāliter respondēre “to reply courteously”.[4]

British Medieval Latin used it for freely, without conditions, of grants of land.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][3]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of free men.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of abundance.[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Like a free man; courteously.[2][4]
  2. Generously, nobly.[2]
  3. Abundantly, amply.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Freely, without conditions.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press