Etymology

franchise

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Today it means: The right to vote at a public election or referendum; see: suffrage. Full definition →

Middle English franchise ← Old French franchise
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franchise · noun1

  1. Old French · derived fromfranchise“freedom”
  2. Middle English · inherited fromfranchise
  3. English todayfranchise

From Middle English franchise, fraunchise, from Old French franchise (“freedom”), a derivative of franc (“free”). More at frank.

franchise · verb2

  1. Old French · derived fromfranchir“to set free”
  2. Middle English · inherited fromfranchisen
  3. English todayfranchise

From Middle English franchisen, fraunchisen, from Old French franchir (stem franchiss-, “to set free”), from franc (“free”). More at frank.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.