Franklin

The word “Franklin” means historically, a free landowner in medieval England who ranked just below the nobility. In plain terms, an old English term for a commoner landowner, and modern slang for a $100 bill.

“Franklin” is pronounced FRANGK-lihn (/ˈfɹæŋklɪn/ in IPA).

Here is “Franklin” used in a sentence: “The franklin in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is known for his generous hospitality.”

“Franklin” is a noun.

The word “Franklin” comes from Middle English. From Middle English frankelein, "freeholder," ultimately related to "frank" (free) — a franklin was a free man who owned land but wasn't nobility.

“Franklin” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Franklin” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: historically, a free landowner in medieval England who ranked just below the nobility.

A franklin was a free landowner in medieval England who held his own land but ranked just below the nobility. Franklins were prosperous commoners rather than titled lords.

Both were free, land-holding commoners in medieval and later England, but a franklin generally ranked higher, just below the nobility, and typically held more land. A yeoman was a respectable freeholder of somewhat lower standing.

When it refers to the historical rank of a free landowner, "franklin" is a common noun and is written in lowercase. The slang term for a hundred-dollar bill is often capitalized as "Franklin" because it derives from Benjamin Franklin's name.