# licensing

/ˈɫaɪsənsɪŋ/ (US) · /lˈaɪsənsɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/licensing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. official permission

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the act of giving or getting official permission to do something.

For teachers: the formal granting of a license or legal authority to perform a specific action or operate a business.

- The licensing of new drivers is handled by a government office.
- The strict licensing of pharmaceutical exports ensures that all distributed medications meet international safety standards.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general process.

### 2. intellectual property

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

allowing another person or company to use your work, like music or software, for a fee.

For teachers: the granting of rights to use intellectual property under specific contractual terms.

- The band made more money from song licensing than from selling albums.
- The software company revised its licensing agreement to include a subscription-based model for corporate clients.

Usage: Commonly used in business contexts regarding software, music, and patents.

## Examples

- The city is licensing new taxi drivers this month.
- The pharmaceutical company is licensing its new drug formula to international manufacturers to speed up global production.
- By licensing the software to third-party developers, the firm successfully expanded its ecosystem while maintaining control over the core intellectual property through strict contractual obligations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.