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

Prints and graphics on some of the other clothing referenced Fisk University, the historic Black liberal arts institution in Nashville famous for its civil rights protests during the 20th and 21st centuries. —Samantha Conti, WWD, 26 Jan. 2025

My professional life has been devoted to advocating for the liberal arts in higher education, especially at public institutions. —Emily B. Todd, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2025

Matt Candy, global managing partner in generative AI at IBM, says that liberal arts majors (those who study language and critical thinking skills, like philosophy, languages and literature) are well-positioned for working with AI agents. —Chris Westfall, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

Told in an elliptical style with novelistic chapters, the story follows Agnes, a literature grad student turned junior professor at a small liberal arts college who is struggling to move forward from a traumatic event. —Vanessa Franko, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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