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.

---

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 )

---

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

The dollar’s safe-haven role amid the Iran conflict triggered a rally, with gains of 1.56% against the yen and 0.96% versus the Swiss franc.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

The dollar’s safe-haven role amid the Iran conflict triggered a rally, with gains of 1.56% against the yen and 0.96% versus the Swiss franc.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

This comes against the backdrop not only of high energy prices but also a strong Swiss franc and signals of potential currency intervention by the Swiss National Bank.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The Swiss National Bank has voiced increased willingness to intervene in foreign-exchange markets to halt recent gains in the franc.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

I gave the waiter a franc and we went out.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway