permit

1 of 3

verb

per·​mit pər-ˈmit How to pronounce permit (audio)
permitted; permitting

transitive verb

1
: to consent to expressly or formally
permit access to records
2
: to give leave : authorize
3
: to make possible
the design permits easy access

intransitive verb

: to give an opportunity : allow
if time permits
permittee
pər-ˌmi(t)-ˈtē How to pronounce permit (audio)
ˌpər-mi(t)-
noun
permitter noun

permit

2 of 3

noun (1)

per·​mit ˈpər-ˌmit How to pronounce permit (audio)
pər-ˈmit
1
: a written warrant or license granted by one having authority
a gun permit
2

permit

3 of 3

noun (2)

: either of two pompanos (Trachinotus falcatus and T. goodei) that are important game fishes of temperate to tropical waters of the western Atlantic

Examples of permit in a Sentence

Verb The judge permitted the release of the prisoner. Smoking is not permitted in the building. When we arrived at customs we realized we had more than the permitted number of items. He permitted himself one more cookie. The new ramp permits easier access to the highway.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The agency only tested at businesses that already held Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits. Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 Township Supervisor Robert Cannon told a news conference Tuesday that the company was not permitted to have the canisters on site. arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Officials said the building was not permitted to store explosive materials on-site. Leo Sands, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Short-term rental platforms must ensure properties are properly permitted before they can be listed on the platform. Marcus Reichley, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Arkansas Arkansas does not permit same-day voter registration. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Because on screen male nudity was not permitted (taking into account the BBC watershed and US broadcasts) – the idea of the ‘wet shirt’ was born. Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 In the letter, Maley emphasized the motivational speaking engagements are explicitly permitted under Gordon's contract and the Notre Dame trips were funded from a $55,000 expense account for Wernle's $10 million Community of Hope fundraising drive. The Indianapolis Star, 5 Mar. 2024 Cameras and the recording of video and sound isn’t permitted. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
Department officials also noted that state law requires them to issue a permit under the water quality program if the company can demonstrate that its work will not degrade drinking water beyond standards or further degrade already polluted aquifers. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Take House Bill 1019, which would have let children operate a lemonade stand in their neighborhood without needing a permit from the state. Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Last year, only one person filed a permit to reserve a section of the park to propose, said California Highway Patrol Officer Paul Moos. Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 The number of homes converted isn't clear because not everyone gets a permit, says Evans. Jeff Brady, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024 Others were Gazans with permits to work in Israel who were stranded and later detained in Israel after the war started. Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 California issues Apple a permit to test three self-driving Lexuses (Lexii?). Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024 Last year, Nepal gave out a record 478 climbing permits to experienced mountaineers interested in ascending some of the highest peaks in the world. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Driving on the beach is allowed here (with a permit), and there is plenty of public water access and parks. Tracey Minkin, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'permit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English permitten, from Latin permittere to let through, permit, from per- through + mittere to let go, send

Noun (2)

perhaps by folk etymology from Spanish palometa, a kind of pompano, from diminutive of paloma dove, from Latin palumba, palumbes — more at palomino

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of permit was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near permit

Cite this Entry

“Permit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/permit. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

permit

1 of 2 verb
per·​mit pər-ˈmit How to pronounce permit (audio)
permitted; permitting
1
: to consent to : give permission : allow
2
: to make possible : give an opportunity
if time permits
permitter noun

permit

2 of 2 noun
per·​mit ˈpər-ˌmit How to pronounce permit (audio)
pər-ˈmit
: a written statement of permission given by one having authority : license

Legal Definition

permit

noun
: a written warrant or license granted by one having authority
a building permit

More from Merriam-Webster on permit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!