permissio

Permissio is a Latin noun meaning permission, leave, or authorization. It derives from the verb permittere, which means to allow or to send through. In classical and medieval Latin, permissio denotes the act or grant of permission given by a person with authority—such as a magistrate, bishop, or sovereign—to allow someone to perform an action that would otherwise be restricted, or to permit entry, travel, marriage, or publication. The term appears in legal charters, ecclesiastical writings, and philosophical or political treatises to describe such authorization.

The concept of permissio is typically understood as formal leave or license, often temporary and conditional on the issuer’s terms. In canon law, it can refer to permissions for exemptions, dispensations, or the right to proceed with an act under specified conditions; in secular law, it may accompany permissions to travel, trade, or hold property.

Today, permissio is primarily encountered in the study of Latin language and historical legal or ecclesiastical texts. The modern English word permission descends from the same Latin root, passing through Old French permission and into Middle English.

Related terms include licentia (license), dispensatio (dispensation), and permittere (to permit). The concept remains a foundational idea in discussions of authorization and consent across legal and administrative contexts, though the Latin term itself is largely found in historical or scholarly usage.