That is why I provided a definition from seemingly objective sources. My point was that there is very definite daylight between the provided definition of a "liberal" and a "leftist."
I agree that the term "liberal" has evolved over time.
The late Ralph Raico, the libertarian historian, defined liberalism as “
the belief that society runs itself.”
John Stuart Mill, the "saint of liberalism" modified the definition of the term in some odd ways, due at least in part to his personal foibles (his relationship with a married woman). He hated social condemnation of his execrable personal conduct, so he aimed his ire at social constructs like "don't schtup your neighbor's wife."
Liberalism, correspondingly, took a turn for the weird.
So, the fact remains that I have presented two fairly modern (and, I would add, fairly objective) definitions of the two terms, with a view to exposing to discussion, the two terms.