2 syllables: li, cence. Stress on li.
LEYE-suhns
/ˈlaɪsəns/
licence is pronounced LEYE-suhns (/ˈlaɪsəns/). It has two syllables (li-cence), with the stress on "li". Licence is a noun meaning official permission to do something, or a permit that grants formal authorization. In British English, licence is the standard noun form; in American English, license is the corresponding noun, with licence reserved for the verb licenci...
Licence is a noun meaning official permission to do something, or a permit that grants formal authorization. In British English, licence is the standard noun form; in American English, license is the corresponding noun, with licence reserved for the verb licenci...
"The town issued a taxi licence after strict background checks."
"He needed a flying licence to pilot the drone legally."
"She kept her driver’s licence in a protective wallet."
US: /ˈlaɪsəns/ ; UK/AU: /ˈlaɪsəns/. The stress is on the first syllable: LI-ence. Begin with a long vowel /aɪ/ as in 'fly', then a soft schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, ending with /ns/. In rapid speech, the /s/ can be slightly more apical before /n/. If you’re distinguishing from 'license' (US noun), remember 'licence' keeps the soft /ə/ before /ns/ in Brit/Aus varieties.
Common errors: misplacing the stress (shifting to second syllable), pronouncing /lɪ/ as in 'lip' instead of /laɪ/, and merging the /s/ and /ə/ too tightly so it sounds like /ˈlaɪsən/ rather than /ˈlaɪsəns/. Correction: ensure the diphthong /aɪ/ is clear in the first syllable, keep a light, unstressed schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, then release /ns/ crisply. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘lice’ vs ‘license’ to preserve the /s/ before /ə/.
US: more likely to use /ˈlaɪsəns/ for the noun, with a reduced /ə/ sometimes approaching /ˈlaɪsəns/; AU/UK both keep /ˈlaɪsəns/ but UK may have slightly crisper /s/ and less rhoticity in surrounding speech. The main difference is minor vowel reduction and neighboring consonant articulation; overall the core /laɪsəns/ persists. Pay attention to vowel length and voicing in rapid UK speech where /ə/ can be shorter.
Two challenges: the /aɪ/ diphthong in the first syllable can blur into a long /aː/ for non-native speakers, and the /səns/ ending requires a precise, light /s/ followed by a consonant cluster /ns/ without inserting a vowel. Also, many learners carry over from their own language’s spellings, conflating 'licence' with 'license'. Focus on keeping /aɪ/ distinct and ending with a clean /ns/.
Yes in the standard pronunciation the 'c' contributes to the /s/ sound, so the ending is /səns/. The first syllable carries /laɪ/ and the second is /səns/; the 'c' is soft here, not /k/ as in other words like 'classic'. This is a site-specific detail learners search for; keep it in mind when decoding the spelling-to-sound mapping.
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US: more rhotic, sometimes a darker /ɜ/ in surrounding vowels; UK/AU: non-rhotic, clearer /ə/ in unstressed syllables and crisper /s/. Vowel quality: keep /aɪ/ as a clear diphthong, avoid a long /iː/ or a flat /aɪ/. IPA references: US /ˈlaɪ.səns/, UK /ˈlaɪ.səns/, AU /ˈlaɪ.səns/. Focus on tongue height for /aɪ/ and a light, forward /s/.
Licence originates from the Old French word licence, from Latin licentia meaning freedom, leave, or permission. The transition to English entered Middle English via Norman influence. The term connotes permission granted by a competent authority rather than mere entitlement. Historically, licence referred to liberty of action granted by the sovereign or church in medieval Europe, evolving into formal legal permission in civil and commercial contexts in the 14th–17th centuries. In British English, licence (noun) became the standard spelling due to the stringently codified division between noun and verb forms, with license (noun) used in American English. The verb form licenced/licensing also parallels this pair. First known use in English attested around the 14th century in legal texts, where “licence” signified a grant of liberty or exemption, later specializing to official documents and regulatory permissions. In modern use, the term appears across driving, broadcasting, and professional regulatory contexts, with spelling variations preserved by regional practice.
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Help others use "licence" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "licence" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "licence" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "licence"
-nce sounds
-nse sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
