franklin

¹

[frangk-lin]

noun

English History.

1. (in the 14th and 15th centuries) a freeholder who was not of noble birth.

Franklin

²

[frangk-lin]

noun

1. Aretha 1942–2018, U.S. singer.

2. Benjamin, 1706–90, American statesman, diplomat, author, scientist, and inventor.

3. Sir John, 1786–1847, English Arctic explorer.

4. John Hope, 1915–2009, U.S. historian and educator.

5. a district in extreme N Canada, in the Northwest Territories, including the Boothia and Melville peninsulas, Baffin Island, and other Arctic islands. 549,253 sq. mi. (1,422,565 sq. km).

6. a town in S Massachusetts.

7. a city in SE Wisconsin.

8. a town in central Tennessee.

9. a town in central Indiana.

10. a town in SW Ohio.

11. a male given name: from a Germanic word meaning “freeholder.”

Franklin

¹

/ ˈfræŋklɪn /

noun

1. Aretha (əˈriːθə) born 1942, US soul, pop, and gospel singer; noted for her songs "Respect" (1967), "I Say a Little Prayer" (1968), and, with George Michael, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987)

2. Benjamin 1706–90, American statesman, scientist, and author. He helped draw up the Declaration of Independence (1776) and, as ambassador to France (1776–85), he negotiated an alliance with France and a peace settlement with Britain. As a scientist, he is noted particularly for his researches in electricity, esp his invention of the lightning conductor

3. Sir John . 1786–1847, English explorer of the Arctic: lieutenant-governor of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) (1836–43): died while on a voyage to discover the Northwest Passage

4. Rosalind . 1920–58, British x-ray crystallographer. She contributed to the discovery of the structure of DNA, before her premature death from cancer

franklin

²

/ ˈfræŋklɪn /

noun

1. (in 14th- and 15th-century England) a substantial landholder of free but not noble birth

Franklin

¹

1. American public official, scientist, inventor, and writer who fully established the distinction between negative and positive electricity, proved that lightning and electricity are identical, and suggested that buildings could be protected by lightning conductors. He also invented bifocal glasses, established the direction of the prevailing storm track in North America and determined the existence of the Gulf Stream.

Franklin

²

1. British x-ray crystallographer whose diffraction images, made by directing x-rays at DNA, provided crucial information that led to the discovery of its structure as a double helix by Francis Crick and James D. Watson.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Franklin¹

1250–1300; Middle English fra ( u ) nkelin < Anglo-French fraunclein, equivalent to fraunc free, frank ¹ + -lein -ling ¹; formed on the model of Old French chamberlain chamberlain

Word History and Origins

Origin of Franklin¹

C13: from Anglo-French fraunclein , from Old French franc free, on the model of _chamberlain

Example Sentences

Among the buildings mentioned in the settlement were the Franklin Apartments, a rent-stabilized building with 30 units located at 6871 Franklin Avenue.

From Los Angeles Times

My folks are a little older so I grew up listening to a lot of music that Bruce listened to — Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, the Beatles, the Stones, Aretha Franklin.

From Los Angeles Times

Played by Matthew Modine, Bush was a key advisor to Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman during and after the war.

From Salon

It had few powers with which to set policy, especially with Franklin Roosevelt taking the reins of economic policy in his own hands.

From Los Angeles Times

Ireland opened their World Cup campaign with a six-try victory over Japan in an impressive display at Franklin's Gardens.

From BBC