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Franciscan

American  
[fran-sis-kuhn] / frænˈsɪs kən /

adjective

  1. of or relating to St. Francis or the Franciscans.


noun

  1. a member of the mendicant order founded by St. Francis in the 13th century.

Franciscan British  
/ frænˈsɪskən /

noun

    1. a member of any of several Christian religious orders of mendicant friars or nuns tracing their origins back to Saint Francis of Assisi; a Grey Friar

    2. ( as modifier )

      a Franciscan friar

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Franciscan

1585–95; < Medieval Latin Francisc ( us ) St. Francis of Assisi + -an


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Stephen Street, a 63-year-old longtime San Franciscan and Marina resident, saw the mock-ups for the development and grimaced.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Mr. Lewarne is a professor of economics and finance at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

It sparked debates up and down the Golden State as many people at the time still held a high regard for the Franciscan priest who was canonized in 2015.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026

Trainer Nicky Henderson recorded his victory of the day when 9-2 favourite Jingko Blue finished in front of 50-1 shot Franciscan Rock in the Handicap Hurdle.

From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026

Out on my arse jobless and a mother to support that’s ninety-two and a daily communicant in the Franciscan church.The rent man collects the rents, missus, or he loses the job.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

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