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

The app, known as Enhanced Leads Identification and Targeting for Enforcement, or ELITE, lets officers research and track individuals based on criminal history, license plate searches, name, date of birth or locations.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Just last week, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced measures to combat burglaries in the Valley, including putting in place extra patrols and using mobile license plate readers in high-risk burglary areas.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

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

It was the blue Benz with the Herat license plate finally leaving.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini