permit

1 of 4

verb

per·​mit pər-ˈmit 

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 

ˌpər-mi(t)-

noun

permitter noun

permit

2 of 4

noun (1)

per·​mit ˈpər-ˌmit 

pər-ˈmit

1

: a written warrant or license granted by one having authority

a gun permit

2

: permission

permit

3 of 4

noun (2)

per·​mit ˈpər-ˌmit  pər-ˈmit 

: a pompano (Trachinotus falcatus) that is an important game fish of temperate to tropical waters of the western Atlantic

permittee

4 of 4

noun (3)

per·​mit·​tee ¦pərmə̇¦tē 

pərˈmit(ˌ)ē

plural -s

: one to whom a permission or permit is given

the permittee should begin drilling operations within six months

—W. F. Cloud

Synonyms of permit

Verb

• allow
• have

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

If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2026

Still, fans were surprised by the lack of atmosphere permitted outside the stadium, especially in South Florida, where nearly 240,000 Colombians lived in Miami-Dade and Broward counties in 2023, according to the American Community Survey. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 28 June 2026

Noun

But since reports linked the couple's big day to Madison Square Garden on July 3, new details have continued to emerge — from public permits and venue schedules to comments from teammates, city officials and the bride and groom. — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 30 June 2026

In New York, night clubs were sometimes regarded as a civic nuisance; one obstacle was the city’s cabaret law, from 1926, which required bars to obtain a special permit if patrons were dancing and was not fully repealed until 2017. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

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

Phrases Containing permit

• learner's permit
• work permit

Rhymes for permit

• acquit
• admit
• armpit
• backlit
• befit
• cockpit
• commit
• dalit
• dendrite
• emit
• illite
• misfit

Kids Definition

permit

1 of 2 verb

per·​mit pər-ˈmit 

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 

pər-ˈmit

: a written statement of permission given by one having authority : license

Legal Definition

permit

noun

per·​mit ˈpər-ˌmit, pər-ˈmit 

: a written warrant or license granted by one having authority

a building permit