lingua franca

noun

lin·​gua fran·​ca ˈliŋ-gwə-ˈfraŋ-kə 

plural lingua francas or linguae francae ˈliŋ-gwē-ˈfraŋ-(ˌ)kē 

1

often capitalized : a common language consisting of Italian mixed with French, Spanish, Greek, and Arabic that was formerly spoken in Mediterranean ports

2

: any of various languages used as common or commercial tongues among peoples of diverse speech

English is used as a lingua franca among many airline pilots.

3

: something resembling a common language

movies are the lingua franca of the twentieth century

—Gore Vidal

Did you know?

In the Middle Ages, the Arabs of the eastern Mediterranean referred to all Europeans as Franks (the name of the tribe that once occupied the land we call France). Since there was plenty of Arab-European trade, the traders in the Mediterranean ports eventually developed a trading language combining Italian, Arabic, and other languages, which almost everyone could more or less understand, and it became known as the "Frankish language", or lingua franca. Some languages actually succeed in becoming lingua francas without changing much. So, when the Roman empire became vast and mighty, Latin became the important lingua franca; and at a meeting between Japanese and Vietnamese businesspeople today, English may well be the only language spoken.

Examples of lingua franca in a Sentence

English is used as a lingua franca among many airline pilots.

Recent Examples on the Web

The translation symbolizes the efforts of many Ukrainian Jews to switch from Russian, which was until recently the lingua franca of an overwhelming majority of Ukrainian Jews, to the state language, as an act of national affirmation and defiance against Russia. —Marcel Gascón Barberá, Sun Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024

The British are further endowed with a native command of the world’s most versatile language, whose status as international lingua franca has made the BBC an unrivaled global voice and helped British universities, courts, and diplomacy retain their preeminent reputations. —Jeremy Shapiro, Foreign Affairs, 23 Mar. 2021

As with a tombstone in the mergers-and-acquisitions business, there is an insider lingua franca that casual followers wouldn’t know. —Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2024

The film was shot in Wolof, Senegal’s lingua franca, which Diop herself labored to understand. —Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, Frankish language

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined at sense 1