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libero

Etymology and origin of the Latin word libero

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (līber)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈliː.bɛ.roː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈliː.be.ro][1]

Forms

līberō (present infinitive līberāre, perfect active līberāvī, supine līberātum); first conjugation[1] An inscription has the passive infinitive leiberarei, and Plautus has līberāssō for līberāverō.[2]

Etymology

It is from līber “free”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of freeing a slave and of delivering someone from a situation.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to free a slave, as in Plautus, and in Cicero to make a city or people politically free.[2] In Cicero it meant to release from restraint, to draw a sword, and in law to acquit; from Plautus to deliver from a condition.[2] In Cicero it also meant to free someone's mind, to release from an obligation, and to discharge a debt.[2] In Ulpian it meant to free from a pledge or mortgage, and in Petronius to get clear of, cross.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to liberate, free, acquit, discharge.[5] It survives in Spanish librar, French livrer and Portuguese livrar, and was borrowed again as French libérer.[1] Its participle līberātus gave English liberate in the 1620s, and Late Latin dēlīberāre “to set free” gave English deliver through Old French.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of freeing slaves.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of political freedom and acquittal.[2][4]
  • before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of freeing from a mortgage.[2][4]
  • 1620s – English liberate is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To set free, manumit (a slave).[2]
  2. To make politically free.[2]
  3. To release; to deliver; to acquit.[2]
  4. To release from an obligation; to discharge (a debt).[2]
  5. To free from a mortgage.[2]
  6. To get clear of, cross.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Libero.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/libero. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·