unlicensed

adjective un·li·censed \ ˌən-ˈlī-sᵊn(t)st \

|Updated on: 28 Jul 2018

Definition of unlicensed

: not licensed: such as

a : not authorized or permitted by a license

unlicensed merchandise

an unlicensed firearm

the unlicensed reproduction of books

b : operating without a license

unlicensed vendors

an unlicensed electrician

unlicensed brokers

unlicensed drivers

See unlicensed defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of unlicensed from the Web

So the decision struck down the provision targeted at both licensed and unlicensed CPCs, arguing that while pregnant women have a right to know about medical services, this placed too much of a burden on the free speech rights of the centers.

— lauren rankin, SELF, "It’s Legal for Crisis Pregnancy Centers in California to Lie to You About Abortion," 11 July 2018
The 32-year-old was arrested last year after police found seven young children unattended at her unlicensed day care Little Giggles, KTVZ-TV reported.

— mary bowerman, USA TODAY, "Oregon day care worker gets 21 years for drugging kids with melatonin so she could tan, workout," 12 Mar. 2018
State law permits her to lawfully carry a gun inside her car, even if unlicensed, according to KDFW.

— adam carlson, PEOPLE.com, "'I Hope That Woke Him Up': Mom Speaks After Shooting Man Who Allegedly Tried to Take Her Car with Kids Inside," 9 July 2018
Operators of websites have long been protected from liability when unlicensed content is posted by a user.

— adam satariano, New York Times, "Tech Giants Win a Battle Over Copyright Rules in Europe," 5 July 2018
Auxier and his business partner, Maria Avare, have warrants for fraud and working as unlicensed contractors and will be extradited back there at some point, officials said.

— david harris, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Man on probation for scamming elderly woman gets prison for latest scheme in Apopka," 26 June 2018
Reproductive rights activists hailed it as a victory that would result in significantly fewer women getting seriously — or even fatally — injured from abortions by unlicensed providers.

— elizabeth chuck /, NBC News, "What is Roe v. Wade? Everything you need to know," 5 June 2018
Many of the firearms came through Joshua Jackson, of Willingboro, who purchased most of them at gun shows from unlicensed sellers who did not perform background checks, prosecutors said.

— robert moran, Philly.com, "Cherry Hill man admits illegally selling 100 handguns," 26 June 2018
The simple fact is that Crisis Pregnancy Centers offer deceptive and often unlicensed patient care, and perpetuate a culture where people are shamed for their personal healthcare choices.

— madeleine aggeler, The Cut, "Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Anti-Abortion Groups That Lie to Pregnant Women," 26 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unlicensed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of unlicensed

1577

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

unlicensed

adjective un·li·censed

variants: or chiefly British unlicenced \-ˈlīs-ᵊn(t)st\

medical Definition of unlicensed

: not licensed; especially, of a drug : not approved for use by the appropriate regulating authority (as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States)