Where does “franc” come from?
franc (Middle French) comes from Old French Franc, from Latin francus, from Frankish frank, from Proto-Germanic frankô, from Proto-Indo-European prAng- — pole, stalk.
franc (Middle French): franc; noble
Definitions
- franc; noble
Ancestry of “franc”, step by step
franc traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French Franc
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | Franc | French |
| 2 | Latin | francus | franc; a Frenchman; Frank, of or pertaining to... |
| 3 | Frankish | frank | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | frankô | spear, javelin; a Frank |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | prAng- | pole, stalk |
via Medieval Latin Franc
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | Franc | a Frank |