Added 9 October 2026
franklin
/ˈfɹæŋk.lɪn/ noun
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about franklin at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915).
- Printer whose success as an author led him to take up politics; he helped draw up the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; he played a major role in the American Revolution and negotiated French support for the colonists; as a scientist he is remembered particularly for his research in electricity (1706-1790).
- A landowner (14th and 15th centuries) who was free but not of noble birth.
Origin
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.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)