libertarian

3 definitions

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Seen in the wild

5 citations · last seen May 2026

Etymology timeline

Born ~1789 · 1 year of recorded use

18th centurySee decade cohort →

Seen in the wild

While libertarian and left-leaning/queer furs could by and large manage to coexist, the nature of MAGA makes such a relationship nearly impossible. Neither side wants it, and it would honestly be weird if it existed.

Even the furthest hard far right libertarian is a radical lefty compared to a fascist.

If he were a real libertarian he wouldn't give a shit what medications people were taking.

35th district in Michigan get out and vote for Chedrick Greene for Michigan senate. We can not elect another republican billionaire or a Libertarian. #Vote

He's worse than a Scientologist. He's a libertarian.

#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

One who advocates liberty, either generally or in relation to a specific issue.

[W]here is the difference betvveen the Libertarian, vvho ſays that the mind chuſes the motive; and the Neceſſarian, vvho aſſerts that the motive determines the mind; if the volition be the neceſſary reſult of all the previous circumſtances?

Origin: The is derived from . The is derived from the noun. The word was first attested in English in 1789 in William Belsham’s Essays: see the quotation. This was contrasted with necessitarian, in the context of free will, and was not used in the more frequently encountered modern sense. Compare , from liberté + -aire. Libertaire is derived from . The French word was first attested in a May 1857 letter by the French anarcho-communist Joseph Déjacque (1821–1865) to the anarchist philosopher Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809–1865), reading: “Anarchiste juste-milieu, libéral et non LIBERTAIRE [A centrist. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).

For parents

"libertarian" means: One who advocates liberty, either generally or in relation to a specific issue.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"libertarian" means: One who advocates liberty, either generally or in relation to a specific issue.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

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#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(politics) One who advocates property]], provided they allow others that same liberty; also, a member of a political party supporting libertarianism.

[W]here is the difference betvveen the Libertarian, vvho ſays that the mind chuſes the motive; and the Neceſſarian, vvho aſſerts that the motive determines the mind; if the volition be the neceſſary reſult of all the previous circumſtances?

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#3·Apr 27, 2026UK

(philosophy) A believer in the freedom of thinking beings to choose their own destiny (the doctrine of free will) as opposed to those who believe the future is predetermined (the doctrine of necessity).

[W]here is the difference betvveen the Libertarian, vvho ſays that the mind chuſes the motive; and the Neceſſarian, vvho aſſerts that the motive determines the mind; if the volition be the neceſſary reſult of all the previous circumſtances?

Heard in the wild

“While libertarian and left-leaning/queer furs could by and large manage to coexist, the nature of MAGA makes such a relationship nearly impossible. Neither side wants it, and it would honestly be weird if it existed.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
“Even the furthest hard far right libertarian is a radical lefty compared to a fascist.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
“If he were a real libertarian he wouldn't give a shit what medications people were taking.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
“35th district in Michigan get out and vote for Chedrick Greene for Michigan senate. We can not elect another republican billionaire or a Libertarian. #Vote”
— Bluesky· May 2026
“He's worse than a Scientologist. He's a libertarian.”
— Bluesky· May 2026

Was this helpful?

Comments

For specific readers

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.

Other words near "libertarian" (L)

Lia Liam Lian Liana libbu liberalish libertoon libertopia libertopian libertopianism libertopic libertopist

Browse all slang words starting with L.

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