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   Fran·chise

   /ˈfranˌ(t)SHīz/

   

   noun

   • 1. an authorization granted by a government or company to an individual or group enabling them to carry out specified commercial activities, e.g., providing a broadcasting service or acting as an agent for a company's products: "Toyota granted the group a franchise" Similar warrantcharterlicensepermitauthorizationpermissionsanctionconcessionprivilegeprerogativeseal of approval
   • ▪ a business or service given a franchise to operate: "fast-food franchises dot the roadside"
   • ▪ a general title or concept used for creating or marketing a series of products, typically films or television shows: "the Harry Potter franchise"
   • ▪ (chiefly in North America) an ownership structure in professional sports in which a league is limited to a fixed number of teams.
   • ▪ an authorization given by a league to own a sports team: North American "the two cities will be awarded franchises as the teams join the National League"
   • ▪ a professional sports team. informal North American
   • ▪ a star player in a team. informal North American
   • 2. the right to vote: "the franchise was limited to Estonian citizens"
   • ▪ the rights of citizenship: "the bishop's authority was deployed to extend the franchise of civilized Christian living" Similar suffragethe votethe right to votevoting rightsenfranchisementa voiceone's sayOpposite disenfranchisement

   verb

   • 1. grant a franchise to (an individual or group): "a franchised dealer"
   • ▪ grant a franchise for the sale of (goods) or the operation of (a service): "all the catering was franchised out"

   Word Origin Middle English (denoting a grant of legal immunity): from Old French, based on franc, franche ‘free’ (see frank1). franchise (sense 2 of the noun) dates from the late 18th century and franchise (sense 1 of the noun) from the 20th century.

   Scrabble Points: 17

   • F

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   • R

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   • A

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   • H

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   • I

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