libres

Libres is the plural form of the Spanish adjective libre, meaning free or liberated. It is used to describe things that are not constrained or are associated with freedom in a broad sense, including political, social, and economic contexts. In everyday language, libres can modify plural nouns, as in sociedades libres (free societies), derechos libres (freedom of rights), or tiempos libres (free time).

Etymology and usage: libre derives from Latin liber, meaning free. In Spanish, libre is invariable by gender for feminine singular and masculine/feminine plural becomes libres. The word is often paired with nouns to express the quality of freedom, autonomy, or unconstraint.

In computing and digital rights: the term libre is widely used in the phrase software libre to denote software that grants users certain freedoms. According to the Free Software Foundation, these freedoms include running the program for any purpose, studying how it works, modifying it, and redistributing copies. In this context, libre stresses freedom rather than price, distinguishing libre software from software that is merely gratis (free of charge).

Other contexts: libres appears in political and cultural discourse in Spanish-speaking areas to describe individuals, policies, or movements that advocate autonomy, human rights, and open standards. The term is commonly contrasted with gratis in discussions about accessibility and rights, where libre emphasizes the quality of freedom rather than cost.