Franks
/fræŋks/noun
A historical Germanic people who formed a major power in early medieval Western Europe.
Did you know?The ethnonym of the Franks likely came to be associated with the idea of freedom in late Latin and Romance, which is part of why words like French franc and English frank carry that “free/open” aura.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*frankōz
“The Franks, a Germanic tribal group (likely originally meaning "the Franks" rather than a transparent common noun)”
Late Latin
Latin
Francī
“The Franks”
Old French
Old French
franc
“Free; noble; exempt from tax or servitude”
Middle English
English
frank
“Free, open, sincere”
Modern English
English
Franks
“The Franks; by extension, a historical term for French people in some contexts”