licensee

American  

[lahy-suhn-see] / ˌlaɪ sənˈsi /

Or licencee

noun

1. a person, company, etc., to whom a license is granted or issued.

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licensee British  

/ ˌlaɪsənˈsiː /

noun

1. a person who holds a licence, esp one to sell alcoholic drink

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Etymology

Origin of licensee

First recorded in 1865–70; license + -ee

Example Sentences

The intellectual property is owned by Caltech, and PrismML is the sole exclusive licensee, Hassibi said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

“The law intentionally sets out a very steep burden for the FCC to deny a license renewal; the process takes many years, during which time the licensee continues to operate normally under ‘continuing operating authority.’”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

Mehta became a joint licensee with M3M, with a stake in the project, according to President Trump’s disclosure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

Never before has the commission been confronted with so much evidence attached to a petition that clearly shows that an FCC broadcast licensee undermined that trust.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2025

If the licensee has expended money and made improvements on the faith of the license, can it be revoked?

From Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman by Bolles, Albert Sidney