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

Example Sentences

Harris claims Priestley gained her trust by sending copies of gas certificates, household bills and his driving licence, which linked him to the address.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Unable to work, she has lost her business and her driving licence was revoked because she is not safe to get behind the wheel.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

In Myanmar, private vehicles are currently only allowed to operate on alternate days depending on whether their licence plate is an odd or even number.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

In Myanmar, prices at the petrol pump have jumped and the junta has instituted fuel-saving measures, including alternate day bans on private vehicles, based on odd- or even-numbered licence plates.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 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