What is the Latin word for permission?

The usual Latin words for “permission” are concessiō, permissiō, potestās; also cōpia, arbitrium, licet. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“permission” in Latin

concessiōpermission; grant, concession permissiōyielding, ceding, surrender; leave, permission potestāspower, ability; mastery, control; authority, jurisdiction cōpiasupply, abundance, copiousness, wealth, riches; plenty, fulness, multitude; opportunity, facilities (the means of doing arbitriumthe decision of an arbiter, arbitration; judgement, decision, opinion; discretion, liberal decision; arbitrary decision,licetto be allowed; to be permitted; although, even if veniōto come (to a place), come in, arrive, reach; of metaphorical movement in general; to approach licentialicense; freedom; liberty; a liberty which one assumes; boldness; presumption; unrestrained liberty; dissoluteness; lice

The English word permission itself goes back to Latin mittō, through permissiō.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

permission

concessio (a granting, conceding, Cic. Fragm., Or. in Tog. Cand., ii, 1, 522, de. Orelli): permissio (a permitting, allowing: ☞ concessus et permissus only in the ablative): potestas, copia (power, right, authority given: ☞ venia never of itself means “permission,” but connivance, forbearance, indulgence): arbitrium (free-will): licentia (want of restraint): to give permission to anyone, veniam, licentiam, potestatem alicui dare; permission to do anything, alicujus rei or aliquid faciendi potestatem alicui facere, concedere; licentiam alicui concedere; licentiam alicui permittere ut, etc. permittere, concedere alicui, for anything, aliquid: to give boys permission to play, pueris ludendi licentiam dare: to ask for permission, veniam petere: to obtain permission, veniam accipere, impetrare; datur alicui potestas, copia; fit alicui potestas: to have permission, habere potestatem, concessam licentiam; mihi licet, permissum, concessum est: with your permission, permissu or concessu tuo; si per te licitum erit; pace tua; pace quod fiat tua; bona venia tua liceat; bona venia me audies (if one is about to speak): without my permission, me non concedente; me non consulto; me invito (against my will): without anybody’s permission, injussu alicujus: to speak with permission, bona hoc tua venia dixerim; sit venia verbo; sit honos auribus; tuis honos sit habitus auribus: with permission of all, consensu omnium.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for permission?: The usual Latin words for “permission” are concessiō, permissiō, potestās; also cōpia, arbitrium, licet. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.