English

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Etymology

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From Middle English liberalite, from Old French liberalité, from Latin līberālitās (a noble, kind, or friendly disposition; generosity), equivalent to liberal +‎ -ity.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˌlɪbəˈɹælɪti/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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liberality (usually uncountable, plural liberalities)

  1. The property of being liberal; generosity; charity.
    • 1668, John Denham, Of Justice (poem)
      That liberality is but cast away / Which makes us borrow what we cannot pay.
    • 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter II, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. [], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, [], published 1842, →OCLC, page 20:
      She preferred that Lord Rotheles's liberality should take a purely personal direction. Whatever decorations might be lavished upon her dressing-room, the dowager would have to leave them behind her; not so those which filled the prodigality of red morocco cases on her toilette.
  2. A gift; a gratuity.
    A prudent man is not impoverished by his liberalities.
  3. Candor.
  4. Impartiality.