permit
PER-mit
/ˈpɜːrmɪt/
An official document giving authorization to perform a specific activity, such as learning to drive under supervision.
Refers to a provisional or conditional authorization that precedes full licensing, often accompanied by strict conditions.
The story behind the word. In ancient Rome, 'permittere' meant sending something through a barrier or letting something pass uninterrupted. By the Middle Ages, the term moved into legal Latin to denote formal grant of privilege, arriving into Middle English as a noun denoting official written permission.
Word relationships
- authorization: Authorization is a broad concept of approval, whereas a permit is a physical, legally binding document.
- prohibition: Prohibition means explicitly forbidding an action, whereas a permit explicitly allows it.
Commonly confused with
- license: A permit is conditional and often supervised (e.g., learner's permit), while a license represents full, independent authorization.
Word family
- permission (noun): The act of allowing someone to do something.
- permissible (adjective): Allowed or allowable according to rules.
Collocations
- learner's permit
- provisional permit
- issue a permit
- apply for a permit
Example sentences
- "After passing the written knowledge test, sixteen-year-old Drivers were granted a learner's permit allowing supervised driving." Driver Licensing
- "A minor holding a provisional permit must complete fifty hours of supervised driving before scheduling a practical road test." State Regulations
Memory hook
Think of PERMITting someone through a PERManent checkpoint into the driver seat. PERMIT = PERmission to learn.
When not to use
Do not use 'permit' to refer to a fully unrestricted driver license granted after passing all practical driving exams.
Fun facts
- In New Jersey, the first state learner's permit system was instituted in 1906, requiring new drivers to carry signed paper certificates.
Related words
Explore more words
give permission, authorize, license, permissive, pass, unauthorized
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