franchise

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈfræn.tʃaɪz/^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English fraunchise, borrowed from Old French franchise (“freedom, exemption; right, privilege”),^[2][3][4] from franch-, a stem of franc (“free”) (feminine franche; see frank), and the suffix -ise, representing Latin -itia.^[2][3][4][5] The verb is from Old French franchir (“to free”).^[6][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Freedom as opposed to servitude: about 1290 in the OED,^[7] about 1300 in Barnhart.^[2] Etymonline has a special right or privilege granted by a sovereign about 1300, along with national sovereignty and nobility of character.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Moral freedom and nobility of mind are early senses now obsolete.^[7][5] A legal immunity or exemption is from about 1330,^[7] and a privilege granted by the sovereign power more widely from 1386.^[7] Freedom from arrest in a sanctuary is from about 1380,^[7] and a district over which a privilege extends from the 15th century.^[3] Citizenship or membership of a town or guild is from the early 15th century, 1579 in the OED's sense of membership of a body corporate,^[4][7] and the right to buy and sell, or a monopoly, from the mid-15th century.^[4] In the 18th century the special right narrowed to a particular legal privilege and then to the right to vote (1790).^[4][3] The commercial sense, the authorization given by a company to sell its products or services, is from 1959,^[4][7] and the verb in the licensing sense from 1966.^[4] In marine insurance a franchise is the percentage below which the underwriter is not liable (1895).^[7]

Timeline

• c. 1290 – freedom.^[7]
• c. 1330 – a legal immunity.^[7]
• early 15th century – citizenship.^[4]
• mid-15th century – the right to trade.^[4]
• 1790 – the right to vote.^[4]
• 1959 – a commercial franchise.^[4][7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. (the franchise) The right to vote in public elections; suffrage.
2. A privilege or right granted by a government, such as to run a public service.
3. Permission given by a company to sell its goods or services in an area, or a business run under such permission.
4. (North America) A professional sports team holding membership of a league.

Verb

1. To grant a franchise to.

Word family

• franchisable
• franchisability
• disfranchise
• franchisee
• franchiser
• franchisor
• subfranchise

Related words

• frank
• enfranchise
• disenfranchise
• Frank

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press