a member of a Germanic people that conquered Gaul in the 6th century and controlled much of western Europe for several centuries afterward.
(in the eastern Mediterranean region) a person of western European nationality or descent.
Origin:
Old EnglishFranca, of Germanic origin; perhaps from the name of a weapon and related to Old Englishfranca 'javelin' (compare with Saxon); reinforced in Middle English by medieval Latin Francus and Old French Franc, of the same origin and related to French
