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

Victorian, Greek Revival, and Federal-style buildings speak to the past, while the presence of private liberal arts college Denison University infuses the area with a progressive energy. —Midwest Living, 1 Apr. 2026

In this arrangement, liberal arts education is increasingly repositioned around technical adaptation, workforce responsiveness, and industry-facing forms of applied knowledge. —Dr. Timothy Scott, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026

Amundsen’s work is in keeping with the rest of the show, which fills two halls at the liberal arts school with visual and multimedia works that probe the persistence of radioactive materials. —Chloe Shrager, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026

Under the bill, the school would transition to a polytechnic school, focusing on hands-on industry preparation and STEM classes, with many of its liberal arts programs moving to online only. —Kathryn Muchnick, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 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