Meanings
franchise1
plural franchises
- countableuncountableThe right to vote at a public election or referendum; see: suffrage.
- countableuncountableAn acknowledgment of a corporation's existence and ownership.
- countableuncountableThe authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area.
McDonald’s has exported its franchise.
- countableuncountableA business operating under such authorization, a franchisee.
Synonyms: franchisee, concession
- countableuncountableA legal exemption from jurisdiction.
- countableuncountableThe membership of a corporation or state; citizenship.
- countableuncountableThe district or jurisdiction to which a particular privilege extends; the limits of an immunity; hence, an asylum or sanctuary.
Churches and monasteries in Spain are franchises for criminals.
1810, “Franchise”, in James Millar, editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica - countableuncountablehobbiesThe collection of organizations in the history of a sports team; the tradition of a sports team as an entity, extending beyond the contemporary organization.
The Whalers' home city of Hartford was one of many for the franchise.
1 more example
He devoted almost his full cricket career to playing county cricket for seven franchises until he earned a maiden callup at 35.
- countableuncountablebusinessThe positive influence on the buying behavior of customers exerted by the reputation of a company or a brand.
Certain other industries have no plant. Value derives entirely from brand franchise. (Consulting firms, engineering firms, and advertising agencies do not talk about the value of their franchise. Instead, they talk about "reputation".)
2007, Jack L. Treynor, Treynor on institutional investing, page 3542 more examples
Once a brand has established a consumer franchise and a brand image, it takes a long time for these to decay, as the image is maintained more by people's personal familiarity with and usage of the brand than by external marketing stimuli.
2000, John Philip Jones, Behind powerful brands: from strategy to campaign, page 80Warren Buffett teaches us that the best business to own, the one with the best long-term prospects is a franchise - one that sells a product or service that is needed or desired, has no close substitute, and yields profits that are unregulated.
2002, Robert G. Hagstrom, The Essential Buffett: Timeless Principles for the New Economy, page 26 - countableuncountableExemption from constraint or oppression; freedom; liberty.
Ye[…]the love of ladies foule defame; To whom the world this franchise ever yeelded, That of their loves choise they might freedom clame.
1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC - countableobsoleteuncountableMagnanimity; generosity; liberality; frankness; nobility.
franchise2
present singular third person franchises · participle present franchising · participle past franchised · past franchised
- transitiveTo confer certain powers on; grant a franchise to; authorize.
In a Commons Written Reply to Shadow Rail Minister Tan Dhesi, regarding any assessment of the impact on open access operators by the decision to move away from franchising […], Heaton-Harris highlighted that non-franchised operators run trains without a contractual relationship with Government.
2020 October 21, “Network News: No special agreements for open access operators”, in Rail, page 20 - raretransitiveTo set free; invest with a franchise or privilege; enfranchise.
- transitiveTo give to others the rights to sell or distribute (goods or services).
The ad originators are planning to franchise the campaign to gay groups all across the country.
1974 April 13, “Lavender Line: Near Complete”, in Gay Community News, page 31 more example
This winter, there is a diverse buffet of movies for you to choose from. Most people order the widely franchised cheeseburger because of its biggie-sized portion, its reliably adequate flavor, and its bright, attractive packaging. Don’t get me wrong; on opening day, I’ll be sitting in the front row savoring the cheeseburgery deliciousness of “Quantum of Solace” and “Twilight.” But after the initial cinematic hunger subsides, the diner, like myself, who craves a heartier meal, will take a second trip through the buffet line and search for a meal with a more complex flavor and memorable substance.
2008 December, James Matney, “Raise your glasses in lactoast to independent films”, in The Vox (The Spokesman-Review), page 3, column 1
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA business operating under such authorization, a franchisee.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna business established or operated under an authorization to sell or distribute a company's goods or services in a particular area
nouna statutory right or privilege granted to a person or group by a government (especially the rights of citizenship and the right to vote)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
franchise · noun
- Old Frenchfranchise“freedom”
- Middle Englishfranchise
- Englishfranchise
From Middle English franchise, fraunchise, from Old French franchise (“freedom”), a derivative of franc (“free”). More at frank.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →franchise · verb
- Old Frenchfranchir“to set free”
- Middle Englishfranchisen
- Englishfranchise
From Middle English franchisen, fraunchisen, from Old French franchir (stem franchiss-, “to set free”), from franc (“free”). More at frank.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian избирателно право, привилегия
- избирателно право (izbiratelno pravo)right to vote at a public election
- привилегия (privilegija)right or privilege officially granted by a government
Catalan franquícia, franquícia
- franquíciaauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franquíciabusiness operating under such authorization
- franquícialegal exemption from jurisdiction
- franquíciacollection of fictional works
Danish valgret, stemmeret
- valgretright to vote at a public election
- stemmeretright to vote at a public election
Dutch stemrecht, concessie
- stemrechtright to vote at a public election
- concessieright or privilege officially granted by a government
- franchiseauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franchisecollection of fictional works
Estonian frantsiis
- frantsiisauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Finnish äänioikeus, oikeus
- äänioikeusright to vote at a public election
- oikeusright or privilege officially granted by a government
- etuoikeusright or privilege officially granted by a government
- valtuutusright or privilege officially granted by a government
- toimilupaacknowledgement of a corporation's existence and ownership
- toimilupaauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- luvakeauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franchiseauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franchisingsopimusauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- toimiluvan ottajabusiness operating under such authorization
- luvakkeenottajabusiness operating under such authorization
- franchising-ottajabusiness operating under such authorization
- valtuuttaato confer certain powers on
French droit de vote, concession
- droit de voteright to vote at a public election
- concessionright or privilege officially granted by a government
- franchiseauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franchisecollection of fictional works
German Wahlrecht, Konzession
- Wahlrechtright to vote at a public election
- Konzessionright or privilege officially granted by a government
- behördliche Genehmigungright or privilege officially granted by a government
- Franchiseauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- Franchisecollection of fictional works
Greek δικαίωμα ψήφου, δικαιοχρησία
- δικαίωμα ψήφου (dikaíoma psífou)right to vote at a public election
- δικαιοχρησία (dikaiochrisía)authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Hindi फ्रेन्चाइज़, फ्रेन्चाइज़
- फ्रेन्चाइज़ (phrencāiz)right or privilege officially granted by a government
- फ्रेन्चाइज़ (phrencāiz)authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- फ्रेन्चाइज़ (phrencāiz)business operating under such authorization
Hungarian választójog, franchise
- választójogright to vote at a public election
- franchiseauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Indonesian waralaba, waralaba
- waralabaauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- waralababusiness operating under such authorization
- karya sericollection of fictional works
- waralabacollection of fictional works
Irish toghchóras, ceart vótála
- toghchórasright to vote at a public election
- ceart vótálaright to vote at a public election
Italian diritto di voto, franchising
- diritto di votoright to vote at a public election
- franchisingauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Japanese フランチャイズ
- フランチャイズ (furanchaizu)collection of fictional works
Malay francais, francais
- francaisright to vote at a public election
- francaisright or privilege officially granted by a government
- francaisacknowledgement of a corporation's existence and ownership
- francaisauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- francaislegal exemption from jurisdiction
- francaissports team and its history as entity
Persian فرانشیز
- فرانشیز (frânšiz)authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Polish ajencja, franczyza
- ajencjaauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franczyzaauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Portuguese concessão, franquia
- concessãoright or privilege officially granted by a government
- franquiaauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franchisingauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franquiabusiness operating under such authorization
- franchisebusiness operating under such authorization
- franquiacollection of fictional works
- franquiarto confer certain powers on
Romanian franciză
- francizăcollection of fictional works
Russian франши́за, франши́за
- франши́за (franšíza)authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- франши́за (franšíza)collection of fictional works
Scottish Gaelic còir, còir
- còirright to vote at a public election
- còirright or privilege officially granted by a government
- còirauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Spanish derecho a/de sufragio, derecho de voto
- derecho a/de sufragioright to vote at a public election
- derecho de votoright to vote at a public election
- sufragio activoright to vote at a public election
- franquiciaauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franquicialegal exemption from jurisdiction
- franquiciacollection of fictional works
- franquiciarto confer certain powers on
Swedish rösträtt, franchise
- rösträttright to vote at a public election
- franchiseauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
- franchisebusiness operating under such authorization
- franchisetagarebusiness operating under such authorization
- franchisecollection of fictional works
- seriecollection of fictional works
Tagalog prangkisya
- prangkisyaauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Tamil வாக்குரிமை, ஓட்டுரிமை
- வாக்குரிமை (vākkurimai)right to vote at a public election
- ஓட்டுரிமை (ōṭṭurimai)right to vote at a public election
Thai แฟรนไชส์
- แฟรนไชส์ (frɛɛn-chaai)business operating under such authorization
Turkish oy hakkı, oy verme hakkı
- oy hakkıright to vote at a public election
- oy verme hakkıright to vote at a public election
- ayrıcalıkright or privilege officially granted by a government
- imtiyazright or privilege officially granted by a government
- muhafiyetauthorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area
Welsh etholfraint, rhyddfraint
- etholfraintright to vote at a public election
- rhyddfraintright or privilege officially granted by a government
Cite this entry
franchise. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/franchise
“franchise.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/franchise. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “franchise,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/franchise.
Source: franchise on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.