CultureSeptember 4, 2026

unfreedom

un-FREE-dum

Definition

The state of lacking liberty or being subject to restrictive conditions that prevent an individual or group from exercising autonomy.

Etymology

Derived from the Old English 'un-' (a prefix meaning 'not') combined with 'freedom,' which stems from the Proto-Germanic 'frijaz,' meaning 'beloved' or 'free from slavery'.

In the news

In the article, the term is used by a philosophy professor to describe infrastructure and the built environment as locations where systems may restrict personal agency or equity.

Bates welcomes (more) new faculty

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