# license

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlaɪ.səns/ · frequency rank #2,902

## Definitions
1. A legal document giving official permission to do something; a permit.
2. The legal terms under which a person is allowed to use a product, especially software.
3. Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behaviour or speech).
4. Excessive freedom; lack of due restraint.
5. Ellipsis of driver's license.

## Etymology
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”).

## Easily confused with
- **licensed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/license-vs-licensed)
- **licensee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/license-vs-licensee)
- **licensure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/license-vs-licensure)
- **licence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/licence-vs-license)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ilcense`, `lciense`, `liccense`, `licenes`, `licennse`, `licensse`, `licesne`, `licnese`, `liecnse`, `llicense`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/license