Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

laissez faire

/ˌlɛ(ˌ)seɪ ˈfɛəɹ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.63 in modern English

Syllables: lais-sez faire
IPA: /ˌlɛ(ˌ)seɪ ˈfɛəɹ/

24

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A policy of governmental non-interference in economic affairs.

Uncountable

noun

A policy of non-interference by authority in any competitive process.

Uncountable

adj

Practicing or representing governmental noninterference, or minimal interference, especially in economic affairs; pertaining to free-market capitalism.

adj

Advocating such noninterference.

adj

Resulting from such noninterference.

adj

Avoiding interference in other people's affairs; choosing to live and let live.

Example Sentences

"In brief, all this Mammon-Gospel of Supply-and-demand, Competition, Laissez-faire, and Devil take the hindmost, begins to be one of the shabbiest Gospels ever preached on Earth; or altogether the shabbiest."
"While laissez-faire economy was the product of deliberate State action, subsequent restrictions on laissez-faire started in a spontaneous way. Laissez-faire was planned; planning was not."
"I think the city should take a laissez faire approach to this; getting involved would only make things worse."
"The Senator claims to be laissez faire, but he voted in favor of the subsidies."
"The price ceiling was well below the laissez faire price that demand would have supported, so there were always shortages."

Etymology

Borrowed from French laissez faire (“leave it be”, literally “let do”).

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: laisser faire

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌlɛ(ˌ)seɪ ˈfɛəɹ/
British English: /ˈlæseɪ ˌfɛə(ɹ)/

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

laissez-faire (alternative) laisser faire (alternative) laisser-faire (alternative) more laissez faire (comparative) most laissez faire (superlative)

Phrases

benign neglect hands off laissez aller laissez-passer let it be let nature take its course

Frequently Paired Words

benign neglect hands off laissez aller laissez-passer let it be let nature take its course

Synonyms

forbearing hands off indulgent avuncular broad-minded catholic latitudinarian laissez faire lenient liberal open-handed open-minded

Rhymes With

are there where care they're we're air share hair fair wear aware

Questions

How do you pronounce laissez faire?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌlɛ(ˌ)seɪ ˈfɛəɹ/.
What does laissez faire mean?: A policy of governmental non-interference in economic affairs.
Where does laissez faire come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce laissez faire

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