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

The cost of a TV licence has increased from £174.50 to £180 a year.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

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

The RCA opposed the bid, with its barristers stating it was "blindingly obvious" that Rosindell's licence to use the premises only applied when he was a Tory.

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

This came about from nothing other than his excessive compassion, which gave his soldiers more licence than is suitable to military discipline.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli