franchise

1 of 2

noun

fran·​chise ˈfran-ˌchīz How to pronounce franchise (audio)
plural franchises
1
a(1)
: the right or license granted to an individual or group to market a company's goods or services in a particular territory
also : a business granted such a right or license
just opened a new fast-food franchise down the street
(2)
: the territory involved in such a right
b
: a constitutional or statutory right or privilege
especially : the right to vote
c
: a special privilege granted to an individual or group
especially : the right to be and exercise the powers of a corporation
2
a
: the right of membership in a professional sports league
b
: a team and its operating organization having such membership
He's the best player in the history of the franchise.
3
: a series of related works (such as novels or films) each of which includes the same characters or different characters that are understood to exist and interact in the same fictional universe with characters from the other works
The main reason we all keep going back to the "Mission: Impossible" franchise is the stunts, of course. Watching Ethan Hunt as he scales mountains, jumps onto planes and dangles from skyscrapers fills us with eye-rolling delight.Randy Myers
Rowling's seven Harry Potter novels sold more than 500 million copies. Its respective film franchise drummed up over $7 billion at the box office.Dory Jackson
4
: freedom or immunity from some burden or restriction vested in a person or group

franchise

2 of 2

verb

franchised; franchising

transitive verb

1
: to grant a franchise to
2
archaic : free

Did you know?

Franchise was voted into early 14th-century English as both a noun and verb. It is from the Anglo-French verb franchir, meaning "to free," itself from franc, "free." To be perfectly frank, the word franchise is most often encountered today with reference to restaurant chains or professional sports teams (e.g., "a franchise quarterback"), not to mention branded retail stores and sequel-driven movies and novels. These commercial meanings are far from the original meaning of the word in English: "freedom or immunity from some burden or restriction vested in a person or group." This meaning evolved into the "right to vote" sense of the word.

Examples of franchise in a Sentence

Noun She was granted an exclusive franchise in the city's west end. They just opened a new fast-food franchise down the street. The U.S. did not extend the franchise to women until the early 20th century. He's the best player in the history of the franchise.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In Russia, however, the war effort created new money-making opportunities: assets as diverse as auto plants, formerly owned by Toyota and Renault, and Starbucks and IKEA franchises have been either seized outright or forcibly sold at steep discounts and parcelled out to loyal insiders. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024 French director Leterrier cut his death on the Gallic Transporter action franchise and recently helmed Faxt X, which grossed more than $700 million globally. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 Fast-food national brands are unwittingly helping big government kill the model of the small-business franchise. Ryan Ellis, National Review, 15 Mar. 2024 There were certainly nothing like today’s most upscale canine resorts, where the dogs sleep on queen-size beds and the spa offerings include mud baths and blueberry facials; one pet-hotel franchise on the West Coast will even pick up your dog in a Lamborghini. Sam Apple, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The Oscar-winning film spawned a franchise including three sequels: Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010). Ew Staff, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2024 Players can engage in various game modes, including exhibition matches, franchise mode, career mode and online multiplayer. The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2024 He’s hit 173 total threes this year — 11 away from the franchise record for most makes from three in a year. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Harrison's June 2021 departure from the Bachelor franchise came months after a controversy in which Rachel Lindsay — the franchise's first Black Bachelorette — called him out for defending another former cast member's past racist behavior. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024
Verb
Job descriptions are often fluid among the second-generation operators, but Sage leads the charge on franchising Ben’s beyond its two storefronts in Washington and its outposts at Reagan National Airport, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and Nationals Park. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 Orellana is franchising all five Layne's restaurants in Arizona. The Arizona Republic, 10 Feb. 2024 While Taco Bell and Pizza Hut locations are usually franchised in the U.S., Yum China operates the majority of its own locations. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2024 Lawless plans to franchise the concept after testing her first location. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Dec. 2023 Hooters of America has opened its new-ish chicken wing concept in two downriver communities. Hoots Wings by Hooters is a spinoff of the Hooters restaurant chain that started franchising in December 2020. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 6 Sep. 2023 My company, Zoom Room, began franchising in 2009 and has since signed 115 franchises. Mark Van Wye, Forbes, 4 May 2023 Kirk Johansen is in discussions to franchise his concept and his brand in places with more obvious displays of concentrated wealth and where interesting cars don’t suffer such punitive taxation. Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 30 July 2023 The company also supplies and franchises the Piggly Wiggly name to independent owners, which spreads the Piggy Wiggly brand to more than 500 supermarkets nationwide. Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 8 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'franchise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from franchir to free, from franc free — more at frank

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of franchise was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near franchise

Cite this Entry

“Franchise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/franchise. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

franchise

noun
fran·​chise
ˈfran-ˌchīz
1
: the right to vote
2
: the right to sell a company's goods or services in a particular territory

Legal Definition

franchise

noun
fran·​chise ˈfran-ˌchīz How to pronounce franchise (audio)
1
: a special right or privilege granted by the government to an individual, group, or business entity: as
a
: a right to conduct a business and especially to be and to exercise the powers of a corporation
b
: a right granted to a public utility company to provide services and to use public land for that purpose
2
: a constitutional or statutory right
especially : the right to vote
used with the
restricting them in employment, education, the franchise, legal personality, and public accommodation W. H. Burns
3
: a right or license that is granted to an individual or group to market a company's goods or services in a particular territory under the company's trademark, trade name, or service mark and that often involves the use of rules and procedures designed by the company and services (as advertising) and facilities provided by the company in return for fees, royalties, or other compensation
also : a business granted such a right or license
ran a fast-food franchise
4
a
: an amount of liability (as a percentage or sum) specified in an insurance contract below which an insurer disclaims liability and above which the insurer assumes total liability compare deductible
b
: group insurance covering fewer than the minimum number of participants required by law for such coverage
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French, literally, freedom, liberty, from Middle French, from franchir to free, from Old French franc free

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