ad libitum

See also: ad líbitum

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ad libitum.

Adverb

ad libitum (not comparable)

1. As much as desired, to one's fill, without restriction.

Adjective

ad libitum (not comparable)

1. As much as desired, to one's fill, without restriction.

   an ad libitum diet

Dutch

Alternative forms

• ad lib. (abbreviation)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ad libitum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑt ˈli.bi.tʏm/

Adverb

ad libitum

1. ad libitum, at one's pleasure, impromptu

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ad ˈli.bi.tum/, [äd̪ ˈlʲɪbɪt̪ʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ad ˈli.bi.tum/, [äd̪ ˈliːbit̪um]

Adverb

ad libitum (not comparable)

1. (music) at one's pleasure, allowing freedom to improvise, allowing variation from the printed notes or tempo.
2. Without advanced preparation; spontaneously; impromptu; ad lib.
3. Without restriction.

Spanish

Alternative forms

• ad líbitum

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin ad libitum.

Adverb

ad libitum

1. ad lib, ad libitum

Usage notes

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

Further reading

• “ad libitum”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28