licence

American  

[lahy-suhns] / ˈlaɪ səns /

noun

1. Chiefly British. a variant of license.

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licence British  

/ ˈlaɪsəns /

noun

1. a certificate, tag, document, etc, giving official permission to do something

2. formal permission or exemption

3. liberty of action or thought; freedom

4. intentional disregard of or deviation from conventional rules to achieve a certain effect

   poetic licence

5. excessive freedom

6. licentiousness

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Etymology

Origin of licence

C14: via Old French and Medieval Latin licentia permission, from Latin: freedom, from licet it is allowed

Explanation

A licence is a permit to do something. You need a licence to drive a car. If you spell it licence instead of license, then you’ll be driving on the left side of the road because the “c” ending is British. A licence, spelled with the “c,” is a noun — like that driver’s licence in your wallet that allows you to drive all over England. In British style, the word license (with an “s”) is only a verb and licence is a noun. So if you can put a/an/or the in front of it, it’s a licence. James Bond had a Licence to Kill in the movie of the same name. Don’t ask to see it!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

licence

The committee's chair Maureen Freeman, Labour, said the panel was "not minded to grant the licence as requested".

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Unlike legal e-bikes they require a licence and insurance to be used in public spaces or on roads.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

They also failed to identify and seize his firearms after he lost his licence around the same time, the report said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

She was sentenced to 10 years, half on licence.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Too many farmers had assumed, without due enquiry, that on such a farm a spirit of licence and indiscipline would prevail.

From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell