franc

American  

[frangk, frahn] / fræŋk, frɑ̃ /

noun

plural

francs

1. an aluminum or nickel coin and monetary unit of France, Belgium, and Luxembourg until the euro was adopted, equal to 100 centimes. F., f., Fr, fr.

2. any of the monetary units of various other nations and territories, as Liechtenstein, Martinique, Senegal, Switzerland, and Tahiti, equal to 100 centimes.

3. a former silver coin of France, first issued under Henry III.

4. a former monetary unit of Algeria, Guinea, and Morocco.

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franc British  

/ fræŋk, frɑ̃ /

noun

1. Also called: French franc.  the former standard monetary unit of France, most French dependencies, Andorra, and Monaco, divided into 100 centimes; replaced by the euro in 2002

2. the former standard monetary unit of Belgium ( Belgian franc ) and Luxembourg ( Luxembourg franc ), divided into 100 centimes; replaced by the euro in 2002

3. Also called: Swiss franc.  the standard monetary unit of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, divided into 100 centimes

4. Also called: franc CFA.   CFA franc.   franc of the African financial community.  the standard monetary unit, comprising 100 centimes, of the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo

5. the standard monetary unit of Burundi ( Burundi franc ), Comoros ( Comorian franc ), Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaïre; Congolese franc ), Djibouti ( Djibouti franc ), Guinea ( Guinea franc ), Madagascar ( franc malgache ), Rwanda ( Rwanda franc ), and French Polynesia and New Caledonia ( French Pacific franc )

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Etymology

Origin of franc

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English frank, from Middle French franc, so called because the coin was first inscribed with the name of the king as Medieval Latin Rēx Francōrum “King of the Franks”; Frank ¹ ( def. ); frank ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Last week’s BGS issue highlighted the growing emergence of new safe-haven assets, such as the Singaporean dollar, Swiss Franc, the German 10-year bund, and of course, gold.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

A spokeswoman for Louis Le Franc, France’s top official in New Caledonia, declined to comment.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2024

Le Franc said numerous stores and video surveillance equipment were damaged.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2024

Franc said the think tank had no role in raising the $596,000 that it channeled to Crowdsourcers.

From Washington Post • Mar. 28, 2023

Tripier Le Franc and Mme. de Rivi�re have become my daughters.

From The Memoirs of Madame Vigée Lebrun by Vigée-Lebrun, Marie Louise Elisabeth