Pronunciation: ' li ŋ -gw ə - ' fra ŋ -k ə
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural lingua francas or lin · guae fran · cae \ -gw ē - ' fra ŋ -( ˌ )k ē \
Etymology: Italian, literally, Frankish language
Date: 1619
1 often capitalized : a common language consisting of Italian mixed with French, Spanish, Greek, and Arabic that was formerly spoken in Mediterranean ports
2 : any of various languages used as common or commercial tongues among peoples of diverse speech
3 : something resembling a common language <movies are the lingua franca of the twentieth century ― Gore Vidal>