# lingua franca

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlɪŋ.ɡwə ˈfɹæŋ.kə/

## Definitions
1. A common language used by people of diverse backgrounds to communicate with one another, often a basic form of speech with simplified grammar, particularly, one that is not the first language of any of its speakers.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Italian lingua franca (literally “Frankish language”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/lingua-franca