Etymology Explorer › Old French

Where does “franc” come from?

franc (Old French) comes from Latin Francus, from Frankish Franko, from Proto-Germanic frankô, from Proto-Indo-European prAng- — pole, stalk.

franc (Old French): French; free; noble; of noble descent

Definitions

  1. French; free; noble; of noble descent

Ancestry of “franc”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinFrancusFrank; Frank, French; a Frank
2FrankishFrankoa Frank
3Proto-Germanicfrankôspear, javelin; a Frank
4Proto-Indo-EuropeanprAng-pole, stalk

Words derived from “franc”

  • frankly
  • frank
  • francs
  • franchise
  • frankness
  • franc
  • enfranchisement
  • franchisor
  • franchisee
  • disfranchisement
  • enfranchise
  • franco
  • disenfranchise
  • franking
  • disfranchise
  • franker
  • farang
  • franchiser
  • subfranchisor
  • franchisable
  • nonfranchise
  • frankable
  • subfranchise
  • unfrank
Every word from Proto-Indo-European prAng- →