lingua franca
[ frang-kuh ]
/ ˈfræŋ kə /
noun, plural lingua francas, lin·guae fran·cae [ling-gwee fran-see] /ˈlɪŋ gwi ˈfræn si/.
any language that is widely used as a means of communication among speakers of other languages.
(initial capital letter)
the Italian-Provençal jargon (with elements of Spanish, French, Greek, Arabic, and Turkish) formerly widely used in eastern Mediterranean ports.
Origin of lingua franca
1670–80; < Italian: literally, Frankish tongue
Words nearby lingua franca
lingerie,
lingo,
lingoe,
lingonberry,
lingua,
lingua franca,
lingua geographica,
lingua geral,
lingua nigra,
lingua plicata,
lingual
Example sentences from the Web for lingua franca
Thus there is now, and perhaps always has been, what may be called a lingua-franca, in the sign vocabulary.
British Dictionary definitions for lingua franca (1 of 2)
Lingua Franca
noun
a particular lingua franca spoken from the time of the Crusades to the 18th century in the ports of the Mediterranean, based on Italian, Spanish, French, Arabic, Greek, and Turkish
British Dictionary definitions for lingua franca (2 of 2)
lingua franca
/ (ˈlɪŋɡwə ˈfræŋkə) /
noun plural lingua francas or linguae francae (ˈlɪŋɡwiː ˈfrænsiː)
a language used for communication among people of different mother tongues
a hybrid language containing elements from several different languages used in this way
any system of communication providing mutual understanding
Word Origin for lingua franca
C17: Italian, literally: Frankish tongue