Francis

American  

[fran-sis] / ˈfræn sɪs /

noun

1. a male given name: from an Old French word meaning “Frenchman.”

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Francis British  

/ ˈfrɑːnsɪs /

noun

1. Dick , full name Richard Stanley Francis . 1920–2010, British thriller writer, formerly a champion jockey. His books include Dead Cert (1962), The Edge (1988), and Come to Grief (1995)

2. Sir Philip . 1740–1818, British politician; probable author of the Letters of Junius (1769–72). He played an important part in the impeachment of Warren Hastings (1788–95)

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Example Sentences

The government released nearly 3,000 more for the visit by Pope Benedict XVI and some 3,500 for the visit of Pope Francis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Farrell-Shrouder, Poppy Soper, Annie Wilding and Phoebie Poole are the four uncapped players in the squad, while Gwen Zimmerman, Olivia Francis and Mary McAteer are not included having been involved in the previous camp.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Among Catholics, the memory of the late pope Francis will loom large.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

It’s a term coined by Charles Darwin’s cousin Francis Galton in 1883, though understanding the structure of the human genome came much later.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026

Francis was standing at the foot of the steps.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt