license plate

American  

noun

license plates plural

1. a plate or tag, usually of metal, bearing evidence of official registration and permission, as for the use of a motor vehicle.

---

license plate British  

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): numberplate.  a plate mounted on the front and back of a motor vehicle bearing the registration number

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• license plates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of license plate

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Often affixed inconspicuously to poles, they photograph the back of every passing vehicle and collect license plate data—as well as color, make, model and features like a bumper sticker or a gun rack.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

In an online demonstration for The Wall Street Journal, Weinstein showed how a law enforcement officer can search a complete or partial license plate, or terms like “white,” “Chevy,” “pickup truck.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

Founded in 2017, Flock began by selling its solar-powered cameras, known as automated license plate readers, to neighborhood groups.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

Reports that Flock has shared license plate data with federal authorities, including U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

The bell captain slammed the trunk door down, the word NOW in big, bowl-curved letters above the license plate.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia