free-speech
|free-speech|
/ˌfriː ˈspiːtʃ/
(free speech)
ability to express opinions without restraint
Etymology
'free speech' originates from English, combining the adjective 'free' and the noun 'speech', where 'free' comes from Old English 'frēo' meaning 'not enslaved, exempt' and 'speech' comes from Old English 'spǣc'/'spraec' meaning 'spoken words, utterance'.
'speech' changed from Old English 'spǣc' / 'spraec' to Middle English 'speche' and eventually became the modern English word 'speech'; 'free' changed from Old English 'frēo' to Middle English 'free' and remained as 'free'. The modern collocation 'free speech' developed in Early Modern English as discussions about liberty and rights grew.
Initially, 'free' primarily meant 'not enslaved' or 'exempt'; over time it broadened to mean 'not constrained' or 'unrestricted' in contexts such as speech, so the phrase came to mean 'speech that is not constrained by authority'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the right or principle that people should be able to express opinions publicly without government interference or censorship.
The committee defended free-speech even when the views expressed were unpopular.
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Adjective 1
relating to, protecting, or concerning the principle of free speech (used attributively, often with another noun, e.g., free-speech zone).
The city created a free-speech area for protesters.
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Last updated: 2025/10/18 17:31