franklin meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

franklin

nounalso spelled Franklin

/ˈfɹæŋk.lɪn/

Etymology From Middle English frankelein (“freeholder”), from Anglo-Norman fraunclein (“a landowner of free, but not noble birth”), from Old French fraunc (“free”), from Frankish *Frankō (“Frank”, literally “freeman”) + Old French -lein (“-ling”), from Frankish *-ling (“-ling”). More at frank, -ling.

Historical A freeholder, especially as belonging to a class of landowners in the 14th and 15th century ranking at the bottom of the gentry.

Franklin

noun

/ˈfɹæŋklɪn/

Etymology From Middle English frankelein (“freeholder”), see franklin. The place names are mostly named after American statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790).

US, Informal A one-hundred-dollar bill, which carries the portrait of Benjamin Franklin.

That night, I bought a stack of spirit money. In U.S. currency, of course. I would make it rain Franklins in the spirit world.2018, Ling Ma, chapter 8, in Severance, →ISBN:

A Franklin half dollar.

Numismatic slang

A member of the Franklin society, a social club at Whittier College founded in 1921.

Nixon beat a Franklin for student body president. [He had] learned that being hated by the right people was no impediment to political success.2008, Rick Perlstein, Nixonland:

Related terms: dead president, Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson, Orthogonian