Etymograph

English

franc

Franc comes from French franc ‘Frankish, Franconian’, from Old French franc ‘free, genuine, sincere’, and ultimately from Late Latin Francus ‘a Frank’.

  1. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEFrancus‘a Frank’
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400franc‘free, genuine, sincere’
  3. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘Frankish, Franconian’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1927same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEFrancus‘a Frank’
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400franc‘free, genuine, sincere’
  3. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘Frankish, Franconian’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1927same form

Earliest quotation: 1927, FRANCE: Poincaré’s Week: “Premier Raymond Poincaré, ever an arch militarist, took full…”

Linked words

through French franc ‘Frankish, Franconian’

frank, 2 more

Today it means

noun Any of several units of currency.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Late Latin Francus / franc

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