franklin

F4R1A1N1K5L1I1N1
/ˈfɹæŋk.lɪn//ˈfɹæŋklɪn/

noun

A freeholder, especially as belonging to a class of landowners in the 14th and 15th century ranking at the bottom of the gentry.

Similar
BenBen FranklinBenjaminBenjamin Franklin
OriginMiddle English frankelein ← Anglo-Norman fraunclein ← Old French fraunc →
CommonScrabble 15
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Meanings

franklin1

nounfranklin (plural franklins)

plural franklins

  1. historicalA freeholder, especially as belonging to a class of landowners in the 14th and 15th century ranking at the bottom of the gentry.

    Orlando Boop insisted on crowding in higher up between a franklin and a jongleur[.]

    1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 81

Franklin2

proper nounFranklin (countable and uncountable, plural Franklins)

plural Franklins

  1. countableuncountableA surname transferred from the nickname.
    1. countableuncountableBenjamin Franklin (1706–1790), American author, scientist, inventor, and diplomat, and one of the Founding Fathers.
  2. countableuncountableA male given name transferred from the surname, partly in honor of Benjamin Franklin.
  3. countableuncountableA rural municipality of Manitoba, Canada.
  4. countableuncountableA municipality of Quebec, Canada.
  5. countableuncountableA town and river in Tasmania.
  6. countablehistoricaluncountableAn unrecognized proposed state in modern eastern Tennessee, United States. Capital: Greeneville.
  7. A number of places in the United States:
    1. countableuncountableA town in Macon County, Alabama.
    2. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Monroe County, Alabama.
    3. countableuncountableA town in Izard County, Arkansas.
    4. countableuncountableA census-designated place in Merced County, California.
    5. countableuncountableA census-designated place in Sacramento County, California.
    6. countableuncountableA town in New London County, Connecticut.
    7. countableuncountableA minor city, the county seat of Heard County, Georgia.
    8. countableuncountableA city in Franklin County, Idaho.
    9. countableuncountableA village in Morgan County, Illinois.
    10. countableuncountableA city, the county seat of Johnson County, Indiana.
    11. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Dalton Township, Wayne County, Indiana.
    12. countableuncountableA minor city in Lee County, Iowa.
    13. countableuncountableA census-designated place in Crawford County, Kansas.
    14. countableuncountableA ghost town in Douglas County, Kansas
    15. countableuncountableA city, the county seat of Simpson County, Kentucky.
    16. countableuncountableA city, the parish seat of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.
    17. countableuncountableA town in Hancock County, Maine.
    18. countableuncountableA town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts.
    19. countableuncountableA village in Southfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan.
    20. countableuncountableA minor city in Renville County, Minnesota.
    21. countableuncountableA minor city in Howard County, Missouri.
    22. countableuncountableA minor city, the county seat of Franklin County, Nebraska.
    23. countableuncountableA city in Merrimack County, New Hampshire.
    24. countableuncountableA borough in Sussex County, New Jersey.
    25. countableuncountableA town in Franklin County, New York.
    26. countableuncountableA town and village in Delaware County, New York.
    27. countableuncountableA town, the county seat of Macon County, North Carolina.
    28. countableuncountableA city in Warren County, Ohio.
    29. countableuncountableA city, the county seat of Venango County, Pennsylvania.
    30. countableuncountableA borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
    31. countableuncountableA city, the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee.
    32. countableuncountableA city, the county seat of Robertson County, Texas.
    33. countableuncountableA town in Franklin County, Vermont.
    34. countableuncountableAn independent city in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
    35. countableuncountableA town, the county seat of Pendleton County, West Virginia.
    36. countableuncountableA city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin; a suburb of Milwaukee.
    37. countableuncountableA town and unincorporated community in Jackson County, Wisconsin.
    38. countableuncountableA town in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.
    39. countableuncountableA town in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.
    40. countableuncountableA town in Sauk County, Wisconsin.
    41. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.
    42. countableuncountableA town in Vernon County, Wisconsin.
    43. countableuncountableA number of townships in the United States, including in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, listed under Franklin Township.
nounFranklin (plural Franklins)

plural Franklins

  1. USinformalA one-hundred-dollar bill, which carries the portrait of Benjamin Franklin.

    That night, I bought a stack of spirit money. In U.S. currency, of course. I would make it rain Franklins in the spirit world.

    2018, Ling Ma, chapter 8, in Severance, →ISBN

    Synonyms: Ben, Ben Franklin, Benjamin, Benjamin Franklin

  2. numismatic slangA Franklin half dollar.
  3. A member of the Franklin society, a social club at Whittier College founded in 1921.

    Nixon beat a Franklin for student body president. [He had] learned that being hated by the right people was no impediment to political success.

    2008, Rick Perlstein, Nixonland

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA one-hundred-dollar bill, which carries the portrait of Benjamin Franklin.

Similar
BenBen FranklinBenjaminBenjamin Franklin
Also see
benbenjaminbenjamin franklinhundred

Origin

franklin · noun

  1. Frankish*-ling“-ling”
  2. Old French-lein“-ling”
  3. Frankish*Frankō“Frank”
  4. Old Frenchfraunc“free”
  5. Anglo-Normanfraunclein“a landowner of free, but not noble birth”
  6. Middle Englishfrankelein“freeholder”
  7. Englishfranklin

From Middle English frankelein (“freeholder”), from Anglo-Norman fraunclein (“a landowner of free, but not noble birth”), from Old French fraunc (“free”), from Frankish *Frankō (“Frank”, literally “freeman”) + Old French -lein (“-ling”), from Frankish *-ling (“-ling”). More at frank, -ling.

More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French

Full word history & related roots →

Franklin · proper noun, noun

  1. Middle Englishfrankelein“freeholder”
  2. EnglishFranklin

From Middle English frankelein (“freeholder”), see franklin. The place names are mostly named after American statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790).

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian Фра́нклин, Фра́нклин
  • Фра́нклин (Fránklin)male given name
  • Фра́нклин (Fránklin)surname
Chinese Mandarin 富蘭克林 /富兰克林, 富蘭克林 /富兰克林
  • 富蘭克林 /富兰克林 (Fùlánkèlín)male given name
  • 富蘭克林 /富兰克林 (Fùlánkèlín)surname
Greek Φραγκλίνος
  • Φραγκλίνος (Fragklínos)male given name
Russian Фра́нклин, Фра́нклин
  • Фра́нклин (Fránklin)male given name
  • Фра́нклин (Fránklin)surname
Cite this entry
APA

franklin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/franklin

MLA

“franklin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/franklin. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “franklin,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/franklin.

Source: franklin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.