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lingua franca (n.)
1620s, from Italian, literally "Frankish tongue." A stripped-down Italian peppered with Spanish, French, Greek, Arabic, and Turkish words, it began as a form of communication in the Levant. The name probably is from the Arabic custom, dating back to the Crusades, of calling all Europeans Franks (see Frank). In 17c. English sources also known as Bastard Spanish.
updated on October 30, 2022
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Dictionary entries near lingua franca
lingam
linger
lingerie
lingering
lingo
lingua franca
lingual
Linguaphone
linguiform
linguine
linguist