Lewis & Short

lĭcĭtātĭo, ōnis, f. [licitor], an offering of a price, a bidding for any thing, at sales and auctions: exquisitis palam pretiis et licitationibus factis, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 53, § 133; id. Att. 11, 15, 4: praedam ad licitationem dividere, to the highest bidders, Suet. Ner. 26: licitatione maxima comparare aliquid, id. Calig. 22: ad licitationem rem deducere, Dig. 10, 2, 6: licitatione vincere, to bid highest, ib. 10, 2, 6: penes quem licitatio remansit, to whom it was knocked down, ib. 10, 3, 19: cum contentio fructus licitationis est, Gai. Inst. 4, 244.