What does libertinage mean?
Libertinage denotes sexual promiscuity or a broader rejection of conventional moral and religious restraints, particularly concerning sexual conduct. In modern usage it is usually a critical, formal term: calling someone’s behaviour libertinage suggests that it is deliberately or excessively unconventional rather than merely unconventional. Historically, however, the word could have a less exclusively sexual meaning, referring to intellectual, artistic, religious, or political independence from accepted authority. Its connotations therefore range from moral condemnation to the celebration of unconventional freedom. The term is most often encountered in cultural criticism, political history, biography, and discussion of the European Enlightenment. In careful contemporary writing, it can carry an additional implication of social excess, making it unsuitable for neutral description unless the relevant historical context and the speaker’s evaluative position are clear.
nounPromiscuous sexual behaviour or a lifestyle marked by disregard for conventional sexual and moral restraint. More broadly, it can denote freedom from religious or moral constraint, especially in sexual matters.
- Promiscuous sexual behaviour or a lifestyle characterized by disregard for conventional sexual restraint.
- Freedom from religious, moral, or political constraint, especially in sexual conduct.
"The scandal surrounding the artist centred on his reputation for sexual libertinage."
"The memoir describes a period of sexual libertinage among members of the artistic community."
"Critics dismissed the policy as political libertinage, arguing that it placed individual desire above public responsibility."
The plural is grammatically regular but uncommon in ordinary use.
"The novel portrays the libertinages of the court as both alluring and politically dangerous."
Libertinage was once associated not only with sexual excess but also with the freer intellectual and artistic life of the European Enlightenment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does libertinage come from?
The word entered English from French libertinage, a noun formed from libertin, meaning a free or unrestrained person, especially one who rejects religious or moral authority. The French word ultimately derives from Latin libertinus, meaning “free,” which in turn comes from liber, “free.” English usage became established during the 18th century, when libertinage could describe both sexual freedom and broader resistance to religious and social convention. Related English words include libertine and liberty, while liberate and liberation belong to the same ultimate Latin root.
How libertinage is actually used
The term is generally critical or historical rather than neutral. It often implies a degree of moral disapproval and is more formal than ordinary descriptions of casual sexual behaviour.