franc

franc — noun

1. the basic type of money that people currently spend across Switzerland and sever

1.nounB1
Definition

the basic type of money that people currently spend across Switzerland and several African nations such as Senegal, and was also France's official currency together with Belgium and Luxembourg until the euro replaced it

Example

The hotel bill in Geneva came to four hundred Swiss francs.

collocation: Swiss francs

My grandmother kept an old ten-franc coin from France in her jewellery box.

modifier: ten-franc coin

Common collocations
  • Swiss franc
  • French franc
  • CFA franc
  • ten-franc coin
  • pay in francs
  • worth X francs

Grammar Patterns

number + franc(s)

franc + noun

Usage Note

The Swiss franc (CHF) is the only version still widely traded on international currency markets. European francs (French, Belgian, Luxembourg) have been replaced by the euro since 2002.

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Swiss franc
  • French franc
  • CFA franc
  • franc zone
  • franc coin

Phrases

  • pay in francs
  • worth X francs
  • cost X francs

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'franc' comes from the Latin inscription 'Francorum Rex' (King of the Franks), which appeared on early French gold coins. Over time the name passed from those coins to the country's official currency system, and later to the currencies of other nations connected to France.