lingua franca

 
Pronunciation: /ˌlɪŋgwə ˈfraŋkə/

noun (plural lingua francas)

  • a language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose native languages are different.
  • [mass noun] historical a mixture of Italian with French, Greek, Arabic, and Spanish, formerly used in the eastern Mediterranean.

Origin:

late 17th century: from Italian, literally 'Frankish tongue'