personal-freedom
|per-son-al-free-dom|
🇺🇸
/ˌpɝsənəl ˈfridəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌpɜːsənəl ˈfriːdəm/
(personal freedom)
individual autonomy
Etymology
'personal-freedom' is a compound formed from 'personal' and 'freedom'. 'Personal' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'personalis' (via Old French), where 'persona' meant 'person' or 'mask'. 'Freedom' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'frēodōm', where 'frēo' meant 'free' and the suffix '-dōm' indicated 'state or condition'.
'personal' entered English via Middle English from Old French 'personel', ultimately from Latin 'personalis'; 'freedom' changed from Old English 'frēodōm' and developed into the modern English word 'freedom', giving the compound modern 'personal freedom' in Late Middle English to Early Modern English usage.
Initially, the parts referred separately to 'of or relating to a person' and the 'state of being free'; over time the compound 'personal freedom' came to specifically express an individual's private autonomy and civil liberties in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or condition of an individual being free to make choices about their private life, body, relationships, and personal behavior without undue interference.
Many activists argue that personal-freedom includes the right to decide what happens to one's own body.
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Noun 2
civil or political liberties that protect an individual's private life and choices from government or societal control (often overlaps with 'civil liberties').
Debates about surveillance often center on balancing security with personal-freedom.
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Last updated: 2026/01/10 10:41