Meaning & use
licensee and licensor
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablelegal
a person or company that officially gives someone permission to use something, such as a product, brand, or property
Grammar: Countable noun; usually singular in legal texts but can be plural (licensors).
Patterns
- licensor of something
- act as licensor
The company is the licensor of the software and grants users the right to use it.
As the licensor, she must approve any changes to the licensed material.
The licensor and licensee signed a five-year agreement.
nouncountablelegal
a person or company that receives official permission to use something, such as a product, brand, or property
Grammar: Countable noun; often appears in contracts as 'the licensee'.
Patterns
- licensee of something
- grant a license to a licensee
The licensee is allowed to sell the products under the brand name.
As a licensee, you must follow the terms of the agreement.
The licensee pays a fee to the licensor each year.
Word forms
| plural | licensors |
|---|---|
| plural | licensees |
Common combinations
- licensor and licensee
- The contract clearly defines the rights of the licensor and licensee.
- act as licensor
- The university acts as licensor for several patents.
- licensee agreement
- The licensee agreement outlines the permitted uses.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: licensee and licensor or licenser?
licensee and licensor vs licenser
Licenser is a rare variant of licensor, but licensor is the standard spelling in legal contexts.
Practice
In a licensing agreement, who is the 'licensee'?
Choose one answer.
The licensee is the one who receives permission (the license). The licensor is the one who grants it, so option 0 is the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “licensee and licensor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.