Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1900-2000
Origin: ad lib 'without any preparation' (19-21 centuries), from Modern Latin ad libitum 'according to desire'

ad-lib

 verb
     
ad-lib past tense and past participle ad-libbed, present participle ad-libbing
[intransitive and transitive] to say things that you have not prepared or planned when you are performing or giving a speech:
I never use a script; I just ad lib the whole programme.
—ad-lib noun [countable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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