Synonyms

lingua

American

[ling-gwuh] / ˈlɪŋ gwə /

noun

plural

linguae

the tongue or a part like a tongue.

lingua British

/ ˈlɪŋɡwə /

noun

the technical name for tongue
any tongue-like structure

"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 lingua

1665–75; < Latin; akin to tongue

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.

Lego’s effectiveness as a visual lingua franca must be both a point of pride for The Lego Group and, at times, its bane.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

This entails programs to promote standard Chinese as the national lingua franca, instill pride in Chinese cultural heritage and exert stronger central control over regions with large ethnic-minority populations such as Tibet and Xinjiang.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

His Russian has improved in prison, where it is a lingua franca among the inmates.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Somalia is to introduce Swahili, the lingua franca of East Africa, to its national curriculum, the president has announced.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2025

Except that English is its chief lingua franca and Newspeak its official language, it is not centralized in any way.

From "1984" by George Orwell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023