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 body of related works (such as novels or films) each of which includes the same characters or different characters that are understood to exist in the same fictional universe

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

… the latest iteration of the "Alien" franchise, a prequel set in the same universe as the first two films, but with none of the original characters.

—Anne Thompson

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 of franchise

Noun

• suffrage

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

After all, this is the franchise of Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax and Fernando Valenzuela. —Andy McCullough, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025

Lillard is perhaps known for portraying Stu Macher — one-half of the horror-obsessive-turned-serial-killing duo, alongside Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis — in the 1996 original, which has since spawned a decades-long franchise. —Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2025

Verb

The Millbrae location will be franchised and operated by the Yuksel family, which also leads the Haight Street and Belmont locations, according to a press statement. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025

Sibia said the pair went on to eat at the restaurant again the next day and returned home eager to franchise a new location. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for franchise

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• baptize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise

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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