freedom of speech

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freedom of speech

/ˈfɹiː.dəm əv ˌspiːt͡ʃ/

Where it comes from

The concept and the term are ancient; Athens’ democratic ideology of free speech (παρρησία (parrhēsía)) is thought to have emerged in the 5th or 6th century B.C.E. The first occurrence of the phrase freedom of speech recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary dates to 1567, and it also appears in the English Bill of Rights, among other works: see the quotations.

noun

uncountable The right of citizens to speak, or otherwise communicate, without fear of harm or prosecution. S. Iohn the Baptiste, who died for the lyke liberty and fredome of speache, as S. Quillian, and S. Lamberte did.
Similar: free speech
uncountable Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see freedom, speech. […] For to him that opens himſelf, Men will hardly ſhew themselves averſe, but will (fair) let him go on, and turn their freedom of ſpeech to freedom of thought. And therefore it is a good ſhrewd Proverb of the Spaniard, Tell a lye, and find a Troth; as if there were no way of diſcovery, but by Simu

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MLA

"freedom of speech." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/freedom%20of%20speech. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

freedom of speech. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/freedom%20of%20speech

Chicago

"freedom of speech." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/freedom%20of%20speech.

BibTeX

@misc{freedom_of_speech_2026,
  title = {freedom of speech},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/freedom%20of%20speech},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}