liberal arts

plural noun

1

: college or university studies (such as language, philosophy, literature, and abstract science) intended to provide chiefly general knowledge and to develop general intellectual capacities (such as reason and judgment) as opposed to professional or vocational skills

2

: the medieval studies comprising the trivium and quadrivium

Did you know?

Why do we call the liberal arts "liberal"?

The liberal in liberal arts is not political. Its roots can be traced to the Latin word liber, meaning “free, unrestricted.” Our language took the term from the Latin liberales artes, which described the education given to members of the upper classes as well as to those with the full rights of a citizen; this education involved training in such subjects as grammar, logic, geometry, etc., as opposed to the education reserved for the lower classes, which involved mechanical or occupational skills. The phrase liberal arts has been part of our language for a very long time, with use dating back to the 14th century.

Examples of liberal arts in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tarses attended Williams, and star Carell played hockey at a small liberal arts school — Denison University in Ohio. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2026

While some college majors like liberal arts and performing arts are resulting in rock-bottom salaries, other stable career pathways are handing out the same dismal pay. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026

Hillsdale College, founded in 1844, is an independent, Christian liberal arts college in southern Michigan. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

And generally speaking, liberal arts and social service majors often enter nonprofit, public-sector or service-oriented roles, which historically offer lower pay than technical fields tied to high-demand industries such as engineering or computer science. —Mike Winters, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English liberal artes, borrowed from Medieval Latin artēs līberāles, going back to Latin, "pursuits, studies appropriate for a free man" — more at art entry 1, liberal entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for liberal arts

• cartes
• carts
• charts
• darts
• farts
• harts
• hearts
• marts
• partes
• parts
• smarts
• starts

Kids Definition

liberal arts

plural noun

: the studies (as literature, philosophy, languages, or history) in a college or university intended to develop the mind in a general way rather than give professional or vocational skills