liberal arts

plural noun

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Editor's Note: Why do we call the liberal arts "liberal"?

Definition of liberal arts

1 : the medieval studies comprising the trivium and quadrivium

2 : college or university studies (such as language, philosophy, literature, 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

Recent Examples of liberal arts from the Web

Several smaller liberal arts colleges have already taken the step, but the move from the University of Chicago (ranked #3 in the U.S. News & World Report’s national university rankings) marks a watershed moment in the higher education world.

— aamer madhani, USA TODAY, "University of Chicago becomes first elite college to make SAT, ACT optional for applicants," 14 June 2018
Clougherty, as per posts on her Twitter account, she is apparently headed into her first year at Elon University, a liberal arts college in North Carolina.

— madeleine marr, miamiherald, "This Parkland singer hit the high note in an emotional performance at the Tonys," 11 June 2018
Mississippi College, affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention, is a private, co-educational, Christian university of liberal arts and sciences serving more than 5,100 students, from 40 states and more than three dozen countries.

— Houston Chronicle, "Cleveland’s Wood named to Mississippi College dean’s list," 7 June 2018
The small liberal arts school exhibits some of the most valuable books in the country, including Birds of America by John James Audubon — a set of life-sized engravings by the wildlife pioneer valued at around $12 million.

— mike miller, PEOPLE.com, "Teenagers Who Famously Tried to Steal Millions from a College Library on Their 'Extreme' Story," 29 May 2018
University of Saint Katherine was founded in 2010 and offers bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts and sciences.

— gustavo solis, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Chula Vista makes progress on South Bay university project," 26 May 2018
Leaders of the liberal arts college in Newton failed to notify state regulators ahead of time or create a contingency plan for how students would finish their degrees.

— laura krantz, BostonGlobe.com, "After Mount Ida, AG seeks tougher college oversight," 25 May 2018
Other expensive liberal arts colleges with high percentages of disabled students include Pitzer in California (18%), Vassar in New York, Reed in Oregon and Mount Holyoke in Massachusetts (all three at 16%) and Haverford in Pennsylvania (15%).

— douglas belkin, WSJ, "Colleges Bend the Rules for More Students, Give Them Extra Help," 24 May 2018
More College is a Catholic liberal arts college in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

— martin vassolo, miamiherald, "St. Thomas University announces new president to replace retiring Casale in August | Miami Herald," 24 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'liberal arts.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Why do we call the liberal arts "liberal"?

The liberal in liberal arts, a cornerstone of the education of so many, has very little to do with political leanings; 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 freeman and members of the upper classes, and involved training in the mind (grammar, logic, geometry, etc.). The lower classes were educated in the servile arts, which were mechanical or occupational in nature. The phrase liberal arts has been part of our language for a very long time, with use dating back to the 14th century.

First Known Use of liberal arts

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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LIBERAL ARTS Defined for English Language Learners

liberal arts

noun

Definition of liberal arts for English Language Learners

: areas of study (such as history, language, and literature) that are intended to give you general knowledge rather than to develop specific skills needed for a profession