license plate

American  

noun

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

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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

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Etymology

Origin of license plate

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Neighborhood doorbell cameras, Flock license plate readers and hyperlocal social media sites like Nextdoor create a crowdsourced record of all people’s movements in public spaces.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

I acquired the license plate via a 4K traffic camera at the intersection, a camera you could not see.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

He was also charged with improperly displaying a license plate, which was later dismissed.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

It was spotted on license plate readers in Globe, Ariz., at about 6:30 p.m. local time.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

By the time they made it all the way to Arizona, their car’s license plate and grill were splattered with bug guts and mangled wings.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein