liberate
UK: /ˈlɪb.ər.eɪt/ | US: /ˈlɪb.ər.eɪt/
vt. to set free from oppression, confinement, or control
vt. to release (a substance) through a chemical or physical process
vt. (historical) to grant legal freedom to enslaved individuals
liberate = liber<free> + ate<verb suffix>
- liber (from Latin liber, meaning "free")
- ate (a verb-forming suffix indicating action, from Latin -atus)
Etymology Origin:
The word "liberate" traces back to Latin liberare ("to free"), derived from liber ("free"). This root also appears in words like "liberty" and "liberal." The suffix -ate was adopted into English via Old French to form verbs denoting causation or action. The term originally emphasized physical or legal freedom (e.g., freeing slaves) and later expanded to abstract or chemical contexts (e.g., "liberating gas").
The army fought to liberate the occupied city.
The reaction will liberate carbon dioxide as a byproduct.
The Emancipation Proclamation helped liberate enslaved people in the U.S.
She felt liberated after quitting her stressful job.
The new technology aims to liberate farmers from labor-intensive tasks.