: omissible according to a performer's wishes
—used as a direction in music
compare obbligato entry 1
Examples of ad libitum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024
Julia Musto, Fox News, 29 Sep. 2021
The researchers found that, in the calorie restriction group, levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol decreased significantly after one year, and that change was maintained at two years, while changes were very small in the ad libitum group.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 11 July 2019
Sessions differed by the alternation of these foods: No-Repetition session with M-F-C-B; Single-Repetition session with F-M-F-B-C-B; Multiple-Repetition session with M-F-M-F-M-F-C-B-C-B-C-B. Final intakes of F and B were ad libitum.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2013
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Adverb
This risks skewing the results, since the difference in life span between the diet group and the ad libitum group may be down to poor overall health in the group allowed to gorge itself.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Participants were then presented with an ad libitum meal.
—Julia Musto, Fox News, 29 Sep. 2021
The researchers found that, in the calorie restriction group, levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol decreased significantly after one year, and that change was maintained at two years, while changes were very small in the ad libitum group.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 11 July 2019
Sessions differed by the alternation of these foods: No-Repetition session with M-F-C-B; Single-Repetition session with F-M-F-B-C-B; Multiple-Repetition session with M-F-M-F-M-F-C-B-C-B-C-B. Final intakes of F and B were ad libitum.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2013
Cite this Entry
“Ad libitum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ad%20libitum. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ad libitum
adverb
ad li·bi·tum
(ˈ)ad-ˈlib-ət-əm 
: ad lib
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