frank

1 of 5

adjective

ˈfraŋk 

1

: marked by free, forthright, and sincere expression

a frank reply

2

a

: unmistakably evident

frank materialism

b

: clinically evident and unmistakable

frank pus

frankness noun

frank

2 of 5

verb

franked; franking; franks

transitive verb

1

a

: to mark (a piece of mail) with an official signature or sign indicating the right of the sender to free mailing

b

: to mail free

c

: to affix to (mail) a stamp or a marking indicating the payment of postage

2

: to enable to pass or go freely or easily

frankable

ˈfraŋ-kə-bəl 

adjective

franker noun

frank

3 of 5

noun (1)

1

a

: the signature of the sender on a piece of franked mail serving in place of a postage stamp

b

: a mark or stamp on a piece of mail indicating postage paid

c

: a franked envelope

2

: the privilege of sending mail free of charge

frank

4 of 5

noun (2)

: frankfurter

Frank

5 of 5

noun (3)

ˈfraŋk 

: a member of a West Germanic tribal confederacy that entered the Roman provinces in a.d. 253, occupied the Netherlands and most of Gaul, and established themselves along the Rhine

Did you know?

The word frank comes from the name of the Franks, a West Germanic people who lived long ago. In the early Middle Ages the Franks were in power in France. (It was from them that the country got its name, in Latin Francia.) The Franks eventually merged with the earlier Gaulish and Roman inhabitants, and their name (Francus in Latin) lost its ethnic sense and referred to any inhabitant of Francia who was free, that is, not a slave or bondman. As an adjective, francus came to mean simply “free.” From the English adjective frank, which means “free” or “forthright,” we get the verb frank, which means “to mark mail with an official sign so that it may be mailed free.”

Synonyms

Adjective

• candid
• direct
• forthcoming
• forthright
• foursquare
• freehearted
• free-spoken
• honest
• open
• openhearted
• out-front
• outspoken
• plain
• plainspoken
• straight
• straightforward
• unguarded
• unreserved
• up-front

Choose the Right Synonym for frank

frank, candid, open, plain mean showing willingness to tell what one feels or thinks.

frank stresses lack of shyness or secretiveness or of evasiveness from considerations of tact or expedience.

frank discussions

candid suggests expression marked by sincerity and honesty especially in offering unwelcome criticism or opinion.

a candid appraisal

open implies frankness but suggests more indiscretion than frank and less earnestness than candid.

open in saying what they think

plain suggests outspokenness and freedom from affectation or subtlety in expression.

plain talk

Examples of frank in a Sentence

Adjective

our ballet teacher is very frank about telling her students whether she thinks they have the talent for a career in dance

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Pickford is fascinated by the era of early colonial expansion and also, to be frank, by treasure. —Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

To be frank, the medical and public health community has struggled to effectively communicate the importance of annual COVID-19 vaccinations. —Jerome M. Adams, The Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2024

Noun

How about New York-style pushcart onion sauce, Chicago-style sport peppers and a teriyaki glaze atop a frank in a hoagie roll? —Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 24 June 2024

All-beef frank topped with yellow mustard and sauerkraut or sautéed onions in tomato paste. —Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Verb, and Noun (1)

Middle English, free, from Anglo-French franc, from Medieval Latin francus, from Late Latin Francus Frank

Noun (3)

Middle English, partly from Old English Franca; partly from Anglo-French Franc, from Late Latin Francus, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German Franko Frank, Old English Franca

First Known Use

Adjective

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1701, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1904, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing frank

• be honest/frank

Kids Definition

frank

1 of 2 adjective

ˈfraŋk

: free in speaking one's feelings and opinions

frankness noun

Frank

2 of 2 noun

ˈfraŋk 

: a member of a Germanic people living in ancient Gaul

Frankish

ˈfraŋ-kish

adjective

Medical Definition

frank

adjective

ˈfraŋk 

: clinically evident

frank pus

frank gout

Biographical Definition

Frank 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈfraŋk 

ˈfräŋk

Anne 1929–1945 German-born diarist during the Holocaust

Frank

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

Joachim 1940–     American (German-born) biochemist and biophysicist