Liberty
How We Say It
libΒ·ΙrΒ·tee
Where It Comes From
Latin libertas β freedom, the condition of a free person. From liber β free. In Roman law, a specific legal status β the opposite of slavery. The Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell β the word carries a formal, civic weight that 'freedom' does not always.
How It's Been Used
In American political philosophy, liberty tends toward the negative β freedom from interference, especially from government. The word has been claimed most insistently by libertarian and conservative movements. 'Civil liberties' is a different usage β specific protections against state power.