myEtymology.com: French etymology of liberal

Etymology of the French word liberal

the Old French word liberal

derived from the Latin word liberalis (honorable; courteous, well bred)

derived from the Latin word liber (book, volume; inner bark of a tree; children; child; free; unimpeded; void of; unconstrained, unrestrained, unencumbered)

derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *leudh-

Derivations in other languages

English liberal

Usage

Word found in Old French