| 1. | the freedom of a citizen to exercise customary rights, as of speech or assembly, without unwarranted or arbitrary interference by the government. |
| 2. | such a right as guaranteed by the laws of a country, as in the U.S. by the Bill of Rights. |
| civil lib·er·ties (lĭb'ər-tēz) pl.n. Fundamental individual rights, such as freedom of speech and religion, protected by law against unwarranted governmental or other interference. |
In general, the rights to freedom of thought, expression, and action, and the protection of these rights from government interference or restriction. Civil liberties are the hallmark of liberal, democratic “free” societies. In the United States, the Bill of Rights guarantees a variety of civil liberties, most notably freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech, expressed in the First Amendment. (See civil rights.)