sublicense

1 of 2

noun

sub·​li·​cense ˌsəb-ˈlī-sᵊn(t)s 

variants US sublicense or chiefly British sublicence

plural sublicenses

: a subordinate license granted to another by one already having a license

Universities often work to breed products especially suited to their state's agricultural needs. When they develop appropriate products, they'll seek plant variety protection (similar to a patent) through the federal government, then maintain the purity of that product by selling it to a company with a sublicense for the seed. In turn, they receive royalties …

—Carla Joinson

sublicense

2 of 2

verb

variants US sublicense or British sublicence

sublicensed; sublicensing

transitive verb

: to grant a sublicense for (something)

The company plans to incorporate the system into a demonstration facility for recycling vehicles and will sublicense the … technology to automobile shredders worldwide.

—John DeGaspari

Examples of sublicense in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As Formula 1 continues its new rights deal with Apple, Univision also reached a sublicense for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, TelevisaUnivision announced. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 12 May 2026

The registered trademark Linux is used pursuant to a sublicense from the Linux Foundation, the exclusive licensee of Linus Torvalds, owner of the mark on a worldwide basis. — IEEE Spectrum, 19 Dec. 2024

Verb

The previous sublicensing deal involved the CBC not receiving any ad revenue from broadcasts, but also not having to pay for the rights to the broadcasts. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026

As part of a sublicensing deal with Rogers, CBC continued to air the English-language broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada and Stanley Cup playoffs to ensure the NHL games reached the widest possible number of Canadians. — Brooks Decillia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1814, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1814, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sublicense

• concupiscence
• licence
• license

Legal Definition

sublicense

noun

sub·​li·​cense

ˌsəb-ˈlīs-ᵊns

: a license granted by a licensee that grants some or all of the rights (as to a patent) acquired under the original license

sublicense verb