英単語

liberalの意味・使い方・発音

liberal

英 ['lɪb(ə)r(ə)l] 美 ['lɪbərəl]
  • adj.自由な; 寛大な; 奔放な; 甘い
  • n. リベラル
  • n. (リベラルな)人名;(ポルトガル語)リベラル

語源


自由人

PIE *leu-dheroから。語源は*leu, people, freemanで、語源的にはeleutherian, freeman'sと同じである。現在では主にfreeの意味で使われ、語彙の進化はより率直である。

英語の語源


liberal
liberal: [14] The Latin word for ‘free’ was līber. It came from the same prehistoric source as Greek eleútheros ‘free’, which may have denoted ‘people, nation’ (in which case the underlying etymological meaning of the word would be ‘being a member of the (free) people’, as opposed to ‘being a slave’). From līber was derived līberālis ‘of freedom’, which passed into English via Old French liberal.

Its earliest English meanings were ‘generous’ and ‘appropriate to the cultural pursuits of a ‘free’ man’ (as in ‘the liberal arts’). The connotations of ‘tolerance’ and ‘lack of prejudice’ did not emerge until the 18th century, and the word’s use as a designation of a particular political party in Britain dates from the early 19th century. Also from Latin līber come English libertine [14] and liberty [14].

=> libertine, liberty
liberal (adj.)
mid-14c., "generous," also, late 14c., "selfless; noble, nobly born; abundant," and, early 15c., in a bad sense "extravagant, unrestrained," from Old French liberal "befitting free men, noble, generous, willing, zealous" (12c.), from Latin liberalis "noble, gracious, munificent, generous," literally "of freedom, pertaining to or befitting a free man," from liber "free, unrestricted, unimpeded; unbridled, unchecked, licentious," from PIE *leudh-ero-, probably originally "belonging to the people" (though the precise semantic development is obscure; compare frank (adj.)), and a suffixed form of the base *leudh- "people" (cognates: Old Church Slavonic ljudu, Lithuanian liaudis, Old English leod, German Leute "nation, people;" Old High German liut "person, people").

With the meaning "free from restraint in speech or action," liberal was used 16c.-17c. as a term of reproach. It revived in a positive sense in the Enlightenment, with a meaning "free from prejudice, tolerant," which emerged 1776-88.

In reference to education, explained by Fowler as "the education designed for a gentleman (Latin liber a free man) & ... opposed on the one hand to technical or professional or any special training, & on the other to education that stops short before manhood is reached" (see liberal arts). Purely in reference to political opinion, "tending in favor of freedom and democracy" it dates from c. 1801, from French libéral, originally applied in English by its opponents (often in French form and with suggestions of foreign lawlessness) to the party favorable to individual political freedoms. But also (especially in U.S. politics) tending to mean "favorable to government action to effect social change," which seems at times to draw more from the religious sense of "free from prejudice in favor of traditional opinions and established institutions" (and thus open to new ideas and plans of reform), which dates from 1823.
Conservative, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others. [Ambrose Bierce, "Devil's Dictionary," 1911]
liberal (n.)
1820, "member of the Liberal party of Great Britain," from liberal (adj.). Used early 20c. of less dogmatic Christian churches; in reference to a political ideology not conservative or fascist but short of socialism, from c. 1920.
This is the attitude of mind which has come to be known as liberal. It implies vigorous convictions, tolerance for the opinions of others, and a persistent desire for sound progress. It is a method of approach which has played a notable and constructive part in our history, and which merits a thorough trial today in the attack on our absorbingly interesting American task. [Guy Emerson, "The New Frontier," 1920]

例文


1. The Liberal Democrat 'ssupport fell away at the last minute.
自由民主党の支持率は最後の刻印で下がった。

2.The attitude of the medical profession is very much more liberal now.
現在、医療関係者の態度は明らかになっている。

3.The electoral fortunes of the Liberal Democratic party may decline.
自由民主党の選挙運が低下する可能性がある。

4. Bennett launched a crusade for "moral values" against decadent " liberal relativism.「
ベネットは「道徳的価値」を守り、腐敗堕落した「自由相対性理論」に反対する戦争を始めた。

5.Oxford 's social circle was far too liberal for her taste.
オックスフォードの社交界は開放的すぎて、彼女の好みに合わない.

頭文字