--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Liberal comes from the Latin liberalis…" description: "\"Liberal comes from the Latin liberalis, which means pertaining to a free man. In politics, to be liberal is to want to extend democracy through change ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef5/gore-vidal-466_change_liberal-comes-from-the-latin-liberalis-w_1793678.jpg" --- # Liberal comes from the Latin liberalis, which means… ![“Liberal comes from the Latin liberalis, which means pertaining to a free man. In politics, to be liberal is to want to extend democracy through change and reform. One can see why that word had to be erased from our political lexicon.” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef5/gore-vidal-466_change_liberal-comes-from-the-latin-liberalis-w_1793678.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef5/gore-vidal-466_change_liberal-comes-from-the-latin-liberalis-w_1793678.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef5/gore-vidal-466_change_liberal-comes-from-the-latin-liberalis-w_1793678.jpg) > “Liberal comes from the Latin liberalis, which means pertaining to a free man. In politics, to be liberal is to want to extend democracy through change and reform. One can see why that word had to be erased from our political lexicon.” [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Liberalism originally meant freedom for the individual, but modern politics often discards the term, losing its reformist spirit. **In simple terms:** Original liberalism is about individual freedom and reform. Key Takeaway Remember the true meaning of liberalism. Themes politics language history reform Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical historical When to use this quote - policy analysis - educational curricula - public debate Key Concepts semantic shift democratic ideals Questions to Reflect On - How has the meaning of “liberal” changed in your experience? - Can we revive its original intent? A Different Perspective The term’s evolution can cause confusion and polarization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Free man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-man/) [Latin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin/) [Latin Liberalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin-liberalis-1968078/) [Lexicon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lexicon/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Liberal Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-want-718171/) [Liberalis Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberalis-means-1968077/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-liberal-1968076/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [The news media in general are liberal. If you want to be a reporter, you are going to see poverty and misery, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-walters/the-news-media-in-general-are-liberal-if-you-want-to-be-a-reporter/) [Barbara Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-walters/) > [I am a liberal. I want everyone to be well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-della-valle/i-am-a-liberal-i-want-everyone-to-be-well/) [Diego Della Valle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-della-valle/) > [What my future will not be is active politics in the Liberal Democrat party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/what-my-future-will-not-be-is-active-politics-in-the-liberal-democrat/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [Because liberalism typically doesn't sell in American presidential politics, liberal candidates tend to run as culturally conservative centrists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/because-liberalism-typically-doesn-t-sell-in-american-presidential/) [Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/) > [Some people simply use their faith as a lexicon of behavioral reasoning; without that they would be forced to face their own moral and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-feldman/some-people-simply-use-their-faith-as-a-lexicon-of-behavioral/) [Deborah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-feldman/) > [Drunk, Jane spoke as though she were Nancy Drew. I was a fool for a girl with a dainty lexicon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/drunk-jane-spoke-as-though-she-were-nancy-drew-i-was-a-fool-for-a/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [With all of its false assumptions and evil methods, communism grew as a protest against the hardships of the underprivileged. Communism in theory emphasized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/with-all-of-its-false-assumptions-and-evil-methods-communism-grew-as/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What happens is all these things we're seeing – campylobacter, E coli, mad cow, listeria, salmonella, that weren't even in the lexicon 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/what-happens-is-all-these-things-we-re-seeing-campylobacter-e-coli/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [Asking someone to repeat a phrase you'd not only heard very clearly but were also exceedingly angry about was around Defcon II in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/asking-someone-to-repeat-a-phrase-you-d-not-only-heard-very-clearly/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Silks, velvets, calicoes, and the whole lexicon of female fopperies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/silks-velvets-calicoes-and-the-whole-lexicon-of-female-fopperies/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“What was it Like?" "What was what like?" he said, although he knew. "Quick, I imagine. But you must have perceived something. A split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-barry/what-was-it-like-what-was-what-like-he-said-although-he-knew-quick-i/) [Max Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-barry/) > [Clever people are always the best conversations lexicon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/clever-people-are-always-the-best-conversations-lexicon/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Lexicon was created specifically for dictionaries. As such, it is optimized for maximum readability in a minimum of space. It achieves this using methods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-coles/lexicon-was-created-specifically-for-dictionaries-as-such-it-is/) [Stephen Coles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-coles/) > [Stars ink your fingers with a lexicon of flame blazing rare knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/stars-ink-your-fingers-with-a-lexicon-of-flame-blazing-rare-knowledge/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [Lexicon grabbed me with the opening lines, and never let go. An absolutely thrilling story, featuring an array of compelling characters in an eerily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/lexicon-grabbed-me-with-the-opening-lines-and-never-let-go-an/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) ## More by Gore Vidal > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Many people in the United States happen to believe that United States policy is wrong in Vietnam and the Vietcong are correct in wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/many-people-in-the-united-states-happen-to-believe-that-united-states/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/style-is-knowing-who-you-are-what-you-want-to-say-and-not-giving-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The oligarchs think that the people are both dangerous and stupid. Their point is moot. But we do know that the oligarchs are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-oligarchs-think-that-the-people-are-both-dangerous-and-stupid/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Rome ... at its most decadent, had never thought of hiring an actor to go through the motions of being an emperor while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/rome-at-its-most-decadent-had-never-thought-of-hiring-an-actor-to-go/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Sex is a continuum. You go through different phases along life's way... and if you don't, you've been sort of cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/sex-is-a-continuum-you-go-through-different-phases-along-life-s-way/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [All I want is that Americans still be able to read the alphabet in a hundred years. I am not very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/all-i-want-is-that-americans-still-be-able-to-read-the-alphabet-in-a/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I do not admire 'the people,' as such. No one really does. Their folk wisdom is usually false, their instincts predatory. Even their sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-do-not-admire-the-people-as-such-no-one-really-does-their-folk/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“One of the problems of a society as tightly controlled as ours is that we get so little information about what those of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/one-of-the-problems-of-a-society-as-tightly-controlled-as-ours-is/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) [Explore all 539 Gore Vidal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Liberal comes from the Latin liberalis, which means pertaining to a free man. 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