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.
The environmental campaigners' ship, Arctic Sunrise, sailed off the Norfolk coast to release the rocks without a licence over the weekend before mooring in Great Yarmouth.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
The authorities had already revoked the newspaper's licence and blocked access to its website.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
The company said both third-quarter EPS figures were hurt by 58 cents a share due to charges and licence agreements related to ongoing collaborations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
In the US, music used at campaign rallies often requires a public performance licence for it to be played for an audience, even if a campaign has already purchased a legal copy of the recording.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
I know my date of birth: my parents told me, it is recorded on my birth certificate, my driving licence, my passport, and in all sorts of official records.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
