Liberal

A liberal in the early 1800s in Europe was one who favored more powerful elected assemblies. The term was common in France shortly after the French Revolution.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines Liberal as - lib·er·al (lĭb'ər-əl, lĭb'rəl) Pronunciation Key adj.

  1.
        1. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
        2. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
        3. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
        4. Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.
        5. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor.
        6. Generous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes.
        7. Archaic Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
        8. Obsolete political system; Morally unrestrained; licentious.
  2.
        1. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor.
        2. Generous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes.
        3. Archaic Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
        4. Obsolete Morally unrestrained; licentious.
  3. Not strict or literal; loose or approximate: a liberal translation.
  4. Of, relating to, or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum: a liberal education.
  5.
        1. Archaic Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
        2. Obsolete Morally unrestrained; licentious.

n.

  1. A person with liberal ideas or opinions.
  2. Liberal A member of a Liberal political party.

"liberal." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 22 Feb. 2007. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal

Definition #8 is the most relevant in modern times.