licence

American  

[lahy-suhns] / ˈlaɪ səns /

noun

1. Chiefly British. a variant of license.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of licence

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

Example Sentences

In Canada gun ownership is regulated by laws that require would-be gun owners to obtain a licence by passing a safety course and rigorous background checks before they can purchase a firearm.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 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Unable to work, she has lost her business and her driving licence was revoked because she is not safe to get behind the wheel.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

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

From these two opposed appetites, there arises in cities one of three effects: a principality, liberty, or licence.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli