franchise

1 of 2

noun

fran·​chise ˈfran-ˌchīz 

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.

Synonyms

Noun

• ballot
• enfranchisement
• suffrage
• vote

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

Team President Mark Donovan previously told radio station KCMO, of Kansas City, Missouri, that the franchise is keeping an eye on developments. —Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024

Paramount and Miramax are making a new take on the franchise and expect to go before cameras in the fall, Paramount revealed at CinemaCon on Thursday. —Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024

The Mad Max franchise, created by Miller and producer Byron Kennedy, launched in 1979 with Mel Gibson starring in the first three films, including 1981's The Road Warrior and 1985's Beyond Thunderdome. —Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024

Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins star in Prime Video's adaptation of the blockbuster video game franchise. —Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2024

Developers plan a 45,000-square foot Pickleball Kingdom franchise at 5100 Haltom Road, near the 50-acre H Mart development under construction. —Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2024

The independent, minor-league baseball franchise plans to keep the spirit of baseball alive with a team of eager young players in a city that’s increasingly starved of professional sports, and at a park named for a late former ballplayer raised in Oakland. —Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024

The show serves as the foundation for a TV franchise that continues to pay off for CBS and parent company Paramount. —Joe Otterson, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024

Charlotte star LaMelo Ball had already been ruled out for the year in the franchise’s eighth straight lottery season. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024

Verb

Founded in 1961 in Wilmington, California, Wienerschnitzel now franchises 340 restaurants in 11 states, according to the media release. —Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2024

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

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

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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 

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