license
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
license¹
- /ˈlaɪ.səns/
Rhymes with -aɪsəns
Where it comes from
From Middle English licence, licens, lisence, lissens, licance, from Old French licence, from Latin licentia (“license”), from licens, present participle of licere (“to be allowed, be allowable”); compare linquere, Ancient Greek λείπω (leípō, “leave”).
noun licenses · licence
- A legal document giving official permission to do something; a permit. Hello. I would like to buy a fish licence please.
- The legal terms under which a person is allowed to use a product, especially software. Thus, while the license will grant the user the right to use the software, a major concern is the scope of that use. For example, will the user be granted the right to copy, modify, or transfer the software?
- Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behaviour or speech). In some instances, the author took license to include events which never happened, or to purposely create events which may run in the face of popular conjecture if the author felt it would help the story along.
- Excessive freedom; lack of due restraint. I envy not the beast that takes His license in the field of time, Unfetter’d by the sense of crime, To whom a conscience never wakes; […]
- Ellipsis of driver's license In order to enter the building, I need to show my license.
license²
- /ˈlaɪ.səns/
Rhymes with -aɪsəns
Where it comes from
From Middle English licencen, licensen, lisensen, licent, from Old French licencer, licencier, licenciier, licenser, from Medieval Latin licentiō (cf. English licentiate).
verb licenses · licensing · licensed · licence
- To authorize officially. I am licensed to practice law in this state.
- To give formal authorization to use. It was decided to license Wikipedia under the GFDL.
- To acquire authorization to use, usually in exchange for compensation. The filmmakers licensed several iconic 80's songs for the soundtrack.
- To give permission or freedom to; accept. Intruders there were in Harley Street, of whom it was not aware; but Mr and Mrs Merdle it delighted to honour. Society was aware of Mr and Mrs Merdle. Society had said ‘Let us license them; let us know them.’
- To permit (as grammatically correct). No English adverbs have mandatory complements, and most don't even license optional ones.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: certify, permission, permit, licence, licensure, licensee, licentiate, patent, certificate, certification, authorisation, chartered, licencing, authorization, enrolment, authority
Translations
Every language
noun legal document giving official permission to do something
| Español | licencia |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 면허증 myeonheojeung, 면허 myeonheo |
| 日本語 | ライセンス raisensu, 免許 menkyo |
| 中文 | 許可證 /许可证 xǔkězhèng, 執照 /执照 zhízhào |
| हिन्दी | लाइसेंस lāisens, अनुज्ञा anujñā, अनुज्ञप्ति anujñapti, अनुज्ञापत्र anujñāpatra |
| Português | alvará, licença |
| Français | licence |
| Deutsch | Lizenz, Erlaubnis, Genehmigung, Schein |
| Italiano | licenza, permesso |
| Ελληνικά | άδεια ádeia |
| Română | licență |
| Русский | лице́нзия licénzija, удостовере́ние udostoverénije, разреше́ние razrešénije |
| Tiếng Việt | giấy phép, bằng |
| العربية | رُخْصَة ruḵṣa, تَصْرِيح taṣrīḥ, إِذْن ʔiḏn |
| עברית | רִשָּׁיוֹן rishayón |
noun legal terms of product usage
| Español | licencia |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 면허 myeonheo, 라이선스 raiseonseu, 라이센스 raisenseu |
| 日本語 | 免許 menkyo, ライセンス raisensu |
| 中文 | 執照 /执照 zhízhào |
| हिन्दी | अनुज्ञप्ति anujñapti |
| Português | licença |
| Français | licence |
| Deutsch | Lizenz |
| Italiano | licenza |
| Ελληνικά | άδεια ádeia |
| Русский | лице́нзия licénzija |
| العربية | رُخْصَة ruḵṣa |
noun freedom to deviate from rules
| Español | licencia, impetra |
|---|---|
| Português | licença |
| Русский | своево́лие svojevólije |
noun excessive freedom
| Español | licencia |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 放縦 hōjū, やりたい放題 yaritai hōdai |
| Русский | своево́лие svojevólije |
verb to authorize officially
| Español | licenciar |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | lizenzieren |
| Ελληνικά | αδειοδοτώ adeiodotó, δίνω άδεια díno ádeia |
verb to give formal authorization to use
| Español | licenciar |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | lizenzieren |
verb to acquire authorization to use
| Español | subscribir, licenciarse, subscribirse |
|---|
Talk about this word "license." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/license. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. license. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/license "license." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/license.Cite this
@misc{license_2026,
title = {license},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/license},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
