license
Americannoun
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licenses
plural
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formal permission from a governmental or other constituted authority to do something, as to carry on some business or profession.
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a certificate, tag, plate, etc., giving proof of such permission; official permit.
a driver's license.
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permission to do or not to do something.
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intentional deviation from rule, convention, or fact, as for the sake of literary or artistic effect.
poetic license.
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exceptional freedom allowed in a special situation.
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excessive or undue freedom or liberty.
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the legal right to use a patent owned by another.
verb (used with object)
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licenses,
present (3rd person singular)
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licensed,
past participle, past
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licensing
present participle
verb
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to grant or give a licence for (something, such as the sale of alcohol)
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to give permission to or for
Usage
What does license mean? License means permission to do something, especially formal permission from a government or other authority. The word often refers to the proof of that permission, such as a card or certificate. A license can be required for many different kinds of activities, especially those that may be considered dangerous if a person does not have the proper training. The most common types of licenses are driver’s licenses, professional licenses, and licenses for businesses. Those who hold such licenses are said to be licensed. License can also be used as a verb, meaning “to grant permission” or “to give a license to.” In British English, it is commonly spelled licence. Example: I have permission to operate here, and if you doubt it you can even see my license.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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licensernoun
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licensornoun
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prelicensenoun
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de-licenseverb (used with object)
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relicenseverb (used with object)
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licensableadjective
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licenselessadjective
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nonlicensableadjective
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nonlicensedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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licensesimple
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licensessimple
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have licensedperfect
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has licensedperfect
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am licensingprogressive
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are licensingprogressive
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is licensingprogressive
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have been licensingperfect progressive
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has been licensingperfect progressive
Past
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licensedsimple
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had licensedperfect
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was licensingprogressive
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were licensingprogressive
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had been licensingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of license
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English licence, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin licentia “authorization,” Latin: “freedom,” equivalent to licent- (stem of licēns, present participle of licēre “to be allowed”) + -ia noun suffix; see -ia, -ence
Explanation
What does 007's license to kill have to do with that driver's license you can't wait to acquire? Both are forms of permissions conferred officially. If you’re in England, the noun ends in “c,” as in driver’s licence. When you have a license, you have official permission to do something, like drive a car. Bars need a liquor license to serve alcohol. Doctors need a medical license to practice medicine. You can also say people have license to do something, which means they're free to do it, like if you give yourself poetic license to misspell your own name. In Britain, license is only a verb, meaning "allow," and the noun form is spelled with two cs: licence.
Vocabulary lists containing license
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 5
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"What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Vocabulary from the speech
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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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.
See Examples For:
Flock Safety claims over 5,000 law enforcement agencies use its license plate readers to help locate missing persons, catch thieves and identify suspicious vehicles.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
The company is most known for its camera network, which extracts data about cars from photographs and allows operators to search for vehicles by description or license plate number.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
“We didn’t give ourselves the license to think any bigger.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The American Civil Liberties Union, which has long criticized Flock and other automatic license plate-readers, said Thursday that it wasn’t confident the new security measures would do enough to prevent misconduct.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
He got his learner’s permit before we left for Pakistan and is desperate to practice enough to get his license as soon as he’s allowed.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
The bill, introduced earlier this year in the New York City Council, would require warehouse operators to obtain licenses from the city.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Residency isn’t just where you buy a condo, it’s where you actually live: day counts, driver’s licenses, voter registration, where your doctor is,” Judge said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026
During his time as interior minister, Anutin introduced a number of gun control laws, including a short-term ban on new gun licenses and import restrictions.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is proposing to hold an auction in November, selling exploration licenses for a 125,000 square kilometre block.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
According to a study conducted by the DePaul University College of Law in 2000, of the then-ninety-eight occupations requiring licenses in Illinois, fifty-seven placed stipulations and/or restrictions on applicants with a criminal record.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Netflix on Friday launched a new hub for YA content that includes several hundred titles of original or licensed movies and shows about the coming-of-age stories of young adults.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Until now, recording proceedings was prohibited in most California superior court cases, requiring a licensed reporter to be present in order take down each word that was spoken for the official record.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
The recent crackdown is meant to funnel Chinese individual investors into licensed platforms inside the country where people can trade on China’s domestic stock exchanges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
"The members recommended Ervebo, the only licensed Ebola vaccine, be prioritised for inclusion in a randomised clinical trial in the context of the ongoing outbreak," a WHO statement said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Lawrence’s technology did not quite disappear; in 1961 Paramount licensed what was left of it to Sony.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
In the case of the FTC and FCC, we will have issues enforcing competitive rules and licensing for different broadcast stations.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
It will also acquire the online business, and stores will continue to operate under their existing licensing.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
“Each of SPGI’s benchmark franchises is a high-margin, IP licensing business with a formidable competitive moat inside an oligopolistic market structure,” the Pershing Square letter observed.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Video podcasts from the Jonas Brothers and the cast of “Boy Meets World” are heading to Disney+ as part of a new licensing partnership with iHeartMedia designed to capture viewers on mobile and beyond.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
The Mosses’ licensing file was filled with reports calling them “model” foster parents and recommending they get more children.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
Definitions 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.
