| human rights | |
| —pl n | |
| the rights of individuals to liberty, justice, etc | |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Freedom from arbitrary interference or restriction by governments. The term encompasses largely the same rights called civil liberties or civil rights but often suggests rights that have not been recognized.
Note: Political leaders in the United States often use the expression when speaking of rights violated by other nations.