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

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 noted that, in instances such as cold cases, license plate data are needed to solve crimes beyond a 60-day window.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

The viewing sessions got more serious after Cicero told his friends he went to a trivia night and was stumped by a question on the license plate on Jerry’s Saab convertible.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Officers later broadcast the vehicle’s description and a license plate reader captured the vehicle passing through Benedict Canyon, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

“Duh. So, you’ve probably heard of the license plate game, yeah?”

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon