franchise

Meanings

1. The right to vote at a public election or referendum; see: suffrage.
2. A right or privilege officially granted to a person, a group of people, or a company by a government.
3. An acknowledgment of a corporation's existence and ownership.
4. The authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area.
5. A business operating under such authorization, a franchisee.
6. A legal exemption from jurisdiction.
7. The membership of a corporation or state; citizenship.
8. The district or jurisdiction to which a particular privilege extends; the limits of an immunity; hence, an asylum or sanctuary.
9. The collection of organizations in the history of a sports team; the tradition of a sports team as an entity, extending beyond the contemporary organization.
10. The positive influence on the buying behavior of customers exerted by the reputation of a company or a brand.
11. The loose collection of fictional works pertaining to a particular fictional universe, including literary, film, or television series from various sources, generally when all authorized by a copyright holder or similar authority.
12. Exemption from constraint or oppression; freedom; liberty.

1. To confer certain powers on; grant a franchise to; authorize.
2. To set free; invest with a franchise or privilege; enfranchise.
3. To give to others the rights to sell or distribute (goods or services).

Etymology

From Middle English franchise, fraunchise, from Old French franchise (“freedom”), a derivative of franc (“free”). More at frank.