license plate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal (when official); everyday (in casual conversation).
Quick answer
What does “license plate” mean?
A metal or plastic plate attached to a vehicle, displaying a unique registration number.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A metal or plastic plate attached to a vehicle, displaying a unique registration number.
The official vehicle identification marker assigned by governmental authorities for legal and administrative purposes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English uses 'number plate'. 'License plate' is standard in American English. The US term reflects the document (license) it links to, while the UK term focuses on the physical feature (number).
Connotations
No significant difference in connotation, purely a lexical choice.
Frequency
'License plate' is near-exclusive in AmE. 'Number plate' is near-exclusive in BrE. 'Registration plate' is a formal variant in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “license plate” in a Sentence
check the license platehave a license plateissue a license plateread the license plateattach the license plate to the vehicleVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “license plate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The vehicle was licensed and plated last week.
American English
- They need to license and plate the new trailer.
adjective
British English
- The license-plate holder was damaged.
American English
- We have a license-plate frame from our home state.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in vehicle rental, logistics, and fleet management documentation (e.g., 'Please ensure the license plate is listed on the contract').
Academic
Rare; might appear in transportation studies, criminology (e.g., 'ANPR systems rely on license plate recognition').
Everyday
Common in conversations about cars, traffic incidents, or parking (e.g., 'I couldn't remember the license plate of the taxi').
Technical
Used in law enforcement, traffic engineering, and automotive manufacturing contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “license plate”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “license plate”
- Spelling: 'licence plate' (using BrE spelling for the noun in AmE context).
- Using 'license plate' in the UK without clarifying for an AmE audience.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In American English, no; it's 'license plate'. In British English, the noun is 'licence', but the standard term is 'number plate', not 'licence plate'.
A vanity plate (or personalised plate) is a license plate on which the owner chooses the registration number/letters, often to spell a name or word.
Informally, 'to plate' a vehicle means to fit it with a license plate. The full phrase 'license plate' is not typically used as a verb.
No, each US state (and territory) issues its own distinct license plates with different designs, colors, and slogans.
A metal or plastic plate attached to a vehicle, displaying a unique registration number.
License plate is usually neutral to formal (when official); everyday (in casual conversation). in register.
License plate: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlaɪ.səns ˌpleɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlaɪ.səns ˌpleɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “vanity plate”
- “run a plate”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
To operate a car, you need a LICENSE; the PLATE proves you have it.
Conceptual Metaphor
VEHICLE IDENTITY IS A FACE (e.g., 'The car has a new face' after getting new plates).
Practice
Quiz
Which term is the standard British English equivalent of 'license plate'?