liberalis Latin · revision 4098

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *h₁lewdʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [liː.bɛˈraː.lɪs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [li.beˈraː.lis]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''līberālis''' (neuter līberāle, comparative līberālior, superlative līberālissimus, adverb līberāliter); third-declension two-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|līber|-ālis|t1=free]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) ''Līber'' continues Old Latin [[m|la|loeber]] and [[itc-pro|*louðeros]], from [[ine-pro|*h₁lewdʰ-|t=people]].^(Wiktionary) Isidore of Seville derived the adjective instead from [[libenter]] “willingly”, of one who gives gladly.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has “what a gentlemanly character men have!” and a captive girl of fine and noble looks.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus about 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant of or relating to free men, and in law a ''liberalis causa'' was a suit about a person's free status.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It meant worthy of a free man, gentlemanly or decent, and of appearance fine or noble, in Plautus and Terence.^(OLD 2012) From this came magnanimous and obliging, then free in giving, generous, as Cicero's two kinds of givers, and of things ample or lavish.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein notes that ''liberalis'', like ''benignus'' and ''munificus'', implies a virtue in the giver, which ''largus'' does not.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ The liberal studies were those fit for a free man, discussed by Seneca, and medieval writers kept the term for the ''artes liberales'', the liberal arts.^(TLL)^(DMLBS) Medieval Latin also used it of a freeman's status and of privileged persons.^(Niermeyer 1976) English ''liberal'' is recorded in the mid-14th century as “generous” and “nobly born”, and as a political term from 1820.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of gentlemanly character.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a free man's duty.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of generosity.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-14th century – English ''liberal'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1820 – English ''liberal'' is used as a political term.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of free men, ''liberalis causa'', a suit about free status.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Worthy of a free man, gentlemanly, decent.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Noble, fine in appearance.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|magnanimous]], obliging.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|generous]], [[m|en|liberal]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(of things)'' Ample, lavish.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''artes liberales'', the [[m|en|liberal arts]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[illīberālis]]

+ * [[līberālitās]]

+ * [[perlīberālis]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[līberālismus]]

+ * [[līberāliter]]

+ * [[līberātiō]]

+ * [[līberātor]]

+ * [[līberātrīx]]

+ * [[līberē]]

+ * [[līberī]]

+ * [[līberō]]

+ * [[līberta]]

+ * [[lībertās]]

+ * [[liber]]

+ * [[largus]]

+ * [[en|liberal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''largus'', anyone who gives richly from whatever motive, from ''benignus'', ''liberalis'' and ''munificus'', which denote virtues in the giver.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}