lingua franca

noun

lin·​gua fran·​ca ˈliŋ-gwə-ˈfraŋ-kə 

plural lingua francas or linguae francae ˈliŋ-gwē-ˈfraŋ-(ˌ)kē 

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

English is used as a lingua franca among many airline pilots.

3

: something resembling a common language

movies are the lingua franca of the twentieth century

—Gore Vidal

Did you know?

In the Middle Ages, the Arabs of the eastern Mediterranean referred to all Europeans as Franks (the name of the tribe that once occupied the land we call France). Since there was plenty of Arab-European trade, the traders in the Mediterranean ports eventually developed a trading language combining Italian, Arabic, and other languages, which almost everyone could more or less understand, and it became known as the "Frankish language", or lingua franca. Some languages actually succeed in becoming lingua francas without changing much. So, when the Roman empire became vast and mighty, Latin became the important lingua franca; and at a meeting between Japanese and Vietnamese businesspeople today, English may well be the only language spoken.

Examples of lingua franca in a Sentence

English is used as a lingua franca among many airline pilots.

Recent Examples on the Web

On May 19, 2025 English has become the lingua franca in the Gulf, but fluency is patchy, and Arabic, the official language, plays only a limited role outside legal and government contexts. —London School Of Economics, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025

When Herod enters, the music lurches between saccharine waltz episodes and spasms of Expressionistic anarchy—a fracturing of the lingua franca. —Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 May 2025

Koine Greek—the dialect of the New Testament—was then the lingua franca of the eastern-Mediterranean world, although, of course, familiarity with it ranged from erudite scholarship to learning a few words for the sake of haggling in the marketplace. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

That discourse feels quaint a decade or so later; despite what American protectionist impulses may linger, rap is now the lingua franca of youth. —Meaghan Garvey, Pitchfork, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, Frankish language

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lingua franca

• banca
• tanka