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

First-year coursework in liberal arts is expanded upon via access to production studios for film, video, 16mm, 35mm and puppet animation, as well as a dedicated printmaking studio, digital tools and state-of-the-art VR. —Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025

The four-year liberal arts college in McPherson, Kansas, about 50 miles north of Wichita, is the only school in the nation to offer a bachelor's degree in automotive restoration. —Jamie L. Lareau, USA Today, 5 June 2025

Colgate has previously described that effort as the largest fundraising project by a liberal arts university of its size. —Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025

DeSantis’ hostile takeover of the tiny liberal arts college has devolved into a money pit: The state’s cost for each New College student shot to more than $90,000. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 30 May 2025

Word History

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