civil liberty

noun

plural civil liberties

: freedom from arbitrary interference in one's speech or actions by other individuals or by the government especially as constitutionally guaranteed (as by the U.S. Bill of Rights)

—usually plural

Examples of civil liberties include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, the right to privacy, and the right to due process of law.

—Ramon Martin

compare civil rights

civil libertarian noun

plural civil libertarians

Civil libertarians contend that the heightened scrutiny has discouraged illegal immigrants from seeking marriage, … a fundamental right protected under the Constitution.

—Randy Kennedy

civil libertarian adjective

… continued divisions within the GOP on civil libertarian issues.

—Ian Duncan and Lisa Mascaro

Examples of civil liberty in a Sentence

Freedom of speech is a civil liberty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Perhaps more importantly, privacy advocates and civil liberties groups warn about potential biases in AI systems and the risk of false positives that could unfairly target certain groups. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2025

Established in response to the 9/11 Commission Report, following the 2001 terror attacks, the board was designed to ensure the government’s work to fight terrorism is balanced with protections for civil liberties. —Ella Lee, The Hill, 21 May 2025

In March 2024, Hong Kong enacted another security law that deepened fears over civil liberties and press freedom. —Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025

This would end up creating a vulnerable, exploitable and marginalized underclass as bad or worse than under the Jim Crow legislation that denied civil liberties and rights to Blacks in this country. —Thomas Wenski, Sun Sentinel, 20 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1640, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

civil liberty

noun

: freedom from arbitrary interference in one's pursuits (as in expressing thoughts, practicing a religion, or pursuing a living) by individuals or especially by the government and especially as constitutionally guaranteed

—usually used in pl. see also civil right