franklin
(in the 14th and 15th centuries) a freeholder who was not of noble birth.
Origin of franklin
1Other definitions for Franklin (2 of 2)
A·re·tha [uh-ree-thuh], /əˈri θə/, 1942–2018, U.S. singer.
Benjamin, 1706–90, American statesman, diplomat, author, scientist, and inventor.
Sir John, 1786–1847, English Arctic explorer.
John Hope, 1915–2009, U.S. historian and educator.
a district in extreme N Canada, in the Northwest Territories, including the Boothia and Melville peninsulas, Baffin Island, and other Arctic islands. 549,253 sq. mi. (1,422,565 sq. km).
a town in S Massachusetts.
a city in SE Wisconsin.
a town in central Tennessee.
a town in central Indiana.
a town in SW Ohio.
a male given name: from a Germanic word meaning “freeholder.”
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use franklin in a sentence
Those tribal leaders who “awakened”—forming the so-called “Sons of Iraq” and were paid by us in stacks of Ben Franklins.
Their Fight…But Our Legacy: The New Battle for Fallujah | John Kael Weston | January 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe franklins were by their possessions fitted for becoming sheriffs, knights, etc.
Franklin's Autobiography | Benjamin FranklinThe next day, shortly before noon, the Franklins were awaiting their friends on the Oakleigh boat-landing.
Harper's Round Table, August 20, 1895 | VariousAs they took their homeward way through the snow, they noticed, again, the happy smile on Mr. Franklins kind face.
Boys and Girls of Colonial Days | Carolyn Sherwin BaileyI shall seek out the Franklins, and inform them of the discovery which places them completely in my power.
City Crimes | Greenhorn
I shouldn't expect to turn out a Franklins; but I think one couldn't help being improved by the business.
Bound to Rise | Horatio Alger
British Dictionary definitions for franklin (1 of 2)
/ (ˈfræŋklɪn) /
(in 14th- and 15th-century England) a substantial landholder of free but not noble birth
Origin of franklin
1British Dictionary definitions for Franklin (2 of 2)
/ (ˈfræŋklɪn) /
Aretha (əˈriːθə) born 1942, US soul, pop, and gospel singer; noted for her songs "Respect" (1967), "I Say a Little Prayer" (1968), and, with George Michael, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987)
Benjamin 1706–90, American statesman, scientist, and author. He helped draw up the Declaration of Independence (1776) and, as ambassador to France (1776–85), he negotiated an alliance with France and a peace settlement with Britain. As a scientist, he is noted particularly for his researches in electricity, esp his invention of the lightning conductor
Sir John . 1786–1847, English explorer of the Arctic: lieutenant-governor of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) (1836–43): died while on a voyage to discover the Northwest Passage
Rosalind . 1920–58, British x-ray crystallographer. She contributed to the discovery of the structure of DNA, before her premature death from cancer
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
Scientific definitions for Franklin (1 of 2)
[ frăngk′lĭn ]
American public official, scientist, inventor, and writer who fully established the distinction between negative and positive electricity, proved that lightning and electricity are identical, and suggested that buildings could be protected by lightning conductors. He also invented bifocal glasses, established the direction of the prevailing storm track in North America and determined the existence of the Gulf Stream.
Scientific definitions for Franklin (2 of 2)
British x-ray crystallographer whose diffraction images, made by directing x-rays at DNA, provided crucial information that led to the discovery of its structure as a double helix by Francis Crick and James D. Watson.
biography For Franklin
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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