franchise

Meanings

Noun

• The right to vote at a public election or referendum; see: suffrage, suffragette.
• A right or privilege officially granted to a person, a group of people, or a company by a government.
• An acknowledgment of a corporation's existence and ownership.
• The authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area.
• A business operating under such authorization, a franchisee.
• A legal exemption from jurisdiction.
• The membership of a corporation or state; citizenship.
• The district or jurisdiction to which a particular privilege extends; the limits of an immunity; hence, an asylum or sanctuary.
• The collection of organizations in the history of a sports team; the tradition of a sports team as an entity, extending beyond the contemporary organization.
• The positive influence on the buying behavior of customers exerted by the reputation of a company or a brand.
• The loose collection of fictional works pertaining to a particular universe, including literary, film or television series from various sources.
• Exemption from constraint or oppression; freedom; liberty.
• Magnanimity; generosity; liberality; frankness; nobility.

Verb

• To confer certain powers on; grant a franchise to; authorize.
• To set free; invest with a franchise or privilege; enfranchise.

Related

Similar words

• franchisee, concession

Origin

• From Middle English franchise, fraunchise, from Old French franchise ("freedom"), a derivative of franc. More at frank.
• , from franc. More at frank.