verb
license
LEYE-suhns
verb
1
To give official permission or authorization to do something.
"The city licenses food trucks to operate on public streets."
"She was licensed to practice law in three states."
2
To grant or obtain formal permission to use a piece of intellectual property, often for payment.
"The studio licensed the song for use in the commercial."
How to Use License
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo officially authorize something, or to pay for the right to use someone else's work.
UK vs US
American English uses "license" for both the verb and noun; British English reserves "licence" for the noun and "license" for the verb.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
license a product
licensed to drive
license out
Word Forms
licence noun form, licensed past tense, licenses singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “license”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The city _____ food trucks to operate on public streets.
Etymology
From Middle English licencen, from Old French licencier, from Medieval Latin licentio.