civil liberty

/ˌsɪvɪl ˌlɪbərdi/

Other forms: civil liberties

A civil liberty is an individual right that limits how the government can treat its citizens. In the U.S., civil liberties include the right to privacy and freedom of speech.

In the United States, civil liberties are the specific Constitutional rights that are mentioned in the Bill of Rights, like freedom of religion and freedom of the press. In a more general sense, civil liberties are basic rights all people should have, particularly freedom of speech and movement, as long as they're not harming others. The Latin root of civil is civilis, "relating to a society."

Definitions of civil liberty

1. noun

   fundamental individual right protected by law and expressed as immunity from unwarranted governmental interference
   type of:

   civil right

   right or rights belonging to a person by reason of citizenship including especially the fundamental freedoms and privileges guaranteed by the 13th and 14th amendments and subsequent acts of Congress including the right to legal and social and economic equality
2. noun

   one's freedom to exercise one's rights as guaranteed under the laws of the country
   synonyms: political liberty

   type of:

   freedom

   the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints