Libertine - Definition and Overview

Libertine is the name given to certain political or social groups active in Europe in the 17th century. Libertinism was a form of freethinker philosophy, and was first derisively applied to a Dutch Anabaptist sect in the 16th century that rejected many of society's established mores, and advocated a community of goods and of women.

Libertine has come to mean one free from restraint, particularly from social and religious norms and morals. The philosophy gained new-found adherents in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly in France and England. Notable among these were the Marquis de Sade and Aleister Crowley. In modern times, libertinism has been associated with sado-masochism, nihilism and free love.

The Libertine is the name of a 1969 film (Matriarca, La).

See also

• Antinomianism
• Rake

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.

Example Usage of Libertine