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laissez-faire - 5 dictionary results
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lais⋅sez-faire

  [les-ey-fair; Fr. le-sey-fer]
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–adjective
of, pertaining to, or conforming to the principles or practices of laissez faire.
Also, laisser-faire.

Origin:
1815–25

Related forms:
laissez-faireism, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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lais·sez faire also lais·ser faire   (lěs'ā fâr', lā'zā)   
n.  
  1. An economic doctrine that opposes governmental regulation of or interference in commerce beyond the minimum necessary for a free-enterprise system to operate according to its own economic laws.
  2. Noninterference in the affairs of others.

[French : laissez, second person pl. imperative of laisser, to let, allow + faire, to do.]
lais'sez-faire' adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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laissez-faire [(les-ay-fair, lay-zay-fair)]

French for “Let (people) do (as they choose).” It describes a system or point of view that opposes regulation or interference by the government in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary to allow the free enterprise system to operate according to its own laws.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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laissez-faire 
1825, from Fr., lit. "let (people) do (as they think best)," from laissez "let" + faire "to do" (from L. facere; see factitious). Phrase chosen to express the ideal of government non-interference in business and industry. A term from 18c. Fr. free-trade economists, usually attributed to Gournay.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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laissez-faire

Of, relating to, or being an economy devoid of government interference.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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