licence
Americannoun
noun
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a certificate, tag, document, etc, giving official permission to do something
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formal permission or exemption
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liberty of action or thought; freedom
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intentional disregard of or deviation from conventional rules to achieve a certain effect
poetic licence
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excessive freedom
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licentiousness
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But for Natalie, who has been baking cakes on the weekend, the cost of a licence means it is no longer worth opening.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
But said she had a visit from an enforcement officer last Friday, who told her she would have to stop trading from her cake shed immediately and apply for a licence.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
He had been recalled to serve the balance of this custodial term, and was due for release in mid-February 2027 but had been released from custody on licence in late December.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
At Worthing Magistrates' Court last week, Hollywood pleaded guilty to speeding, and had five penalty points added to his licence, a £293 fine, £120 in costs, and a £117 victim surcharge.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
It simply means that you cannot practise without a licence.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
