adverb
1 formal, technical As much or as often as necessary or desired.
- ‘dieters who ate ad libitum attributed more of their distress to their eating behaviour’
2Music
(especially as a direction) with free rhythm and expression.- ‘the whole orchestra begins to play ad libitum’
adjective
1 formal, technical Occurring, used, or distributed as often as necessary or desired.
- ‘animals that have been fed on an ad libitum basis will expect this unlimited food availability’
2Music
Performed with free rhythm and expression.- ‘the piece could be played with an ad libitum orchestral accompaniment’
Origin
Latin, literally ‘according to pleasure’.
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