Liberty
/ˈlɪbərti/
nounB2
Definition
Liberty is the freedom people have to make their own choices and live their lives without being controlled unfairly by others. It often means having rights and opportunities to speak, act, or think freely in society.
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See It in Action
The state of being free within society or under laws
- •Citizens enjoy liberty to express their opinions.
- •The country values liberty and democracy.
- •People fought hard to gain liberty from colonial rule.
Permission or right to do something
- •She took the liberty of calling you without asking first.
- •He had the liberty to make decisions for the team.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "liberty" like "freedom" (A1 word), but with a stronger idea of rights and permission in society
- ✓Picture a bird flying out of an open cage into a wide, open sky
- ✓It's the feeling when you can say what you think or go where you want without fear
- ✓Sounds like "LIB-er-ty" → imagine a library full of books where you are free to choose any book you like
- ✓Think of famous stories about people fighting for liberty, like the American Revolution, where people wanted to be free from unfair rulers
- ✓NOT like "freedom" in a very general sense—liberty often means freedom protected by laws and rights in a community
- ✓NOT like "permission" (which is given by others)—liberty is a natural or legal right to be free, not just allowed by someone
- ✓NOT like "escape" (running away)—liberty is a peaceful state of being free, not just leaving a place
Try Other Words
- •Freedom: the state of being free (Use when talking about general freedom without legal or political emphasis)
- •Independence: not controlled by others (Use when emphasizing not being ruled or controlled by another country or person)
- •Permission: allowed to do something (Use when talking about being allowed by someone else, not natural rights)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "liber-" (root meaning free) + "-ty" (suffix forming a noun meaning state or quality)
- •Etymology: From Latin "libertas," meaning freedom or condition of being free
- •Historical development: Used since Middle English, originally from Latin, often in political and legal contexts about freedom from control
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe political rights and personal freedoms in society and law
Reflect & Connect
•How does liberty differ in different countries or cultures? Can liberty mean different things to different people?
•What are examples of situations where liberty might be limited for safety or order? How do we balance liberty and rules?
Fill in the blanks
1.People fight for liberty when they want to ___ unfair control or rules.
2.Liberty often means having rights protected by ___ or laws.
3.Taking the liberty of doing something means you do it without ___.
4.Liberty is different from permission because it is a ___ right, not just allowed by someone.
5.When a country values liberty, its citizens can ___ their opinions freely.
6.Liberty is the opposite of being ___ or controlled by others.
7.Sometimes liberty is limited to keep ___ or protect others.