Dictionary

illiberal en · ADJ

Etymology

From Middle French illibéral, from Latin illiberalis, equivalent to il- + liberal.

Meanings

1. Restricting or failing to sufficiently promote individual choice and freedom.
   • Behind Europe's commitment to liberal democracy lurks an illiberal tradition. Every time freedom has failed in Europe, it is to that tradition - of violent repression, totalitarianism, xenophobia, and intolerance - that Europeans have reverted. 2004 December 15, Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Illiberal Europe”, in The Jerusalem Post, →ISSN:
   • Unless the administration compels all workers to invest in life cycle accounts — an illiberal but nonetheless sensible idea — this particular danger cannot be eliminated. 2005 February 20, “The Risks in Personal Accounts”, in The Washington Post, →ISSN, page B06:
2. Narrow-minded; bigoted.
   • While they maintained a denominational character, they were in nowise illiberal, and set up no religious test for entrance. 1894, John Marshall Barker, “The Planting of Colleges in the New World”, in Colleges in America, page 29:
   • Accordingly, that form of Popery, which prevailed in Scotland, was of the moſt bigotted and illiberal kind. 1781, William Robertson, The history of Scotland during the reigns of Queen Mary and of King James IV, volume II, page 141:
3. (archaic) Ungenerous, stingy.
   • The few who are more fortunate are rendered illiberal by their unjust privileges, and oppressive through fear of the awakening indignation of the masses. From the highest to the lowest, almost all men are absorbed in the economic struggle: the struggle to acquire what is their due or to retain what is not their due. 1917, Bertrand Russell, “Chapter II: Capitalism and the Wage System”, in Political Ideals:
   • ...the final offer made on the part of the King was that the Queen should have an allowance of 52,000 pounds a year— not, one would have thought, a very illiberal allowance for the daughter of a small German prince... 1901, Justin McCarthy, Justin Huntly McCarthy, A History of the Four Georges and of William IV, volume IV:
4. Not adhering to either liberalism or neoliberalism.
   • In the general atmosphere of lawlessness and arbitrariness the final outcome may be less harsh and unpleasant than might at first have been expected — though it can be a lot worse if you are an Albanian "irredentist", for example, or a Croatian "separatist", or if you happen to be undergoing trial and sentence in an illiberal republic like Bosnia or Hercegovina. 1986, Encounter, volume 66, page 58:

Forms

Antonyms

liberal (antonym(s) of “all senses”)

Deriveds

illiberalness · illiberalize · illiberalise · illiberality

Relateds

illiberally · illiberalism

Synonyms

stingy (miserly) · bigoted (narrow-minded) · procontrol · protectionist · bossy (restricting freedom from authority) · mercantilist

Translations (31)

de knauserig (stingy) · gv neufeoiltagh (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · fr ladre (stingy) · bg тесногръд (narrow-minded) · sv illiberal (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · de engstirnig (narrow-minded) · gv neughiastyllagh (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · ja けちな (stingy) · bg ограничен (narrow-minded) · ja 息苦しい (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · ja 偏狭な (narrow-minded) · el ανελεύθερος (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · ja 抑圧的な (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · sv illiberal (narrow-minded) · gv pitteogagh (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · gv gortagh (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · el φιλάργυρος (stingy) · bg нетолерантен (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · ja 狭量な (narrow-minded) · el στενοκέφαλος (narrow-minded) · ka არალიბერალური (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · fr illibérale (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · de engherzig (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · ja 反自由主義的な (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · gv neufeoilt (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · es intolerante (narrow-minded) · es iliberal (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · gv neuviallagh (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · ja 窮屈な (restrictive to individual choice and freedom) · fr intolérant (narrow-minded) · ka ანტილიბერალური (restrictive to individual choice and freedom)

illiberal en · NOUN

Etymology

From Middle French illibéral, from Latin illiberalis, equivalent to il- + liberal.

Meanings

1. One opposed to liberal principles.
   • Yes, illiberals argue that Poorman's privation bestows upon him the inalienable right to receive assets (coercively expropriated from Richman). These same illiberals usually claim to believe that all tranquil citizens have equal rights. 2014, Stuart K. Hayashi, Life in the Market Ecosystem:

Forms