Permission
/pərˈmɪʃən/noun
The act of allowing someone to do something, or formal approval to do it.
Did you know?Permission comes from Latin *permissio*, from *permittere* — literally “to let pass through” or “to send forth,” a reminder that words of approval once carried the force of opening a gate.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mei-
“to send, release, let go”
Latin
Latin
permittere
“to let go through, allow, yield, entrust”
Latin
Latin
permissio
“a letting through, granting leave”
Old French
Old French
permission
“leave, authorization”
Late Middle English
English
permission
“leave, consent, authorization”
Modern English
English
permission
“formal approval or consent”