Main Entry: lin·gua fran·ca

Pronunciation: \ˈliŋ-gwə-ˈfraŋ-kə\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural lingua francas or lin·guae fran·cae \-gwē-ˈfraŋ-(ˌ)kē\

Etymology: Italian, literally, Frankish language

Date: 1619

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
3 : something resembling a common language <movies are the lingua franca of the twentieth century — Gore Vidal>