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Definition of lingua franca noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

lingua franca

noun
 
/ˌlɪŋɡwə ˈfræŋkə/
 
/ˌlɪŋɡwə ˈfræŋkə/
(plural lingua francas)
[usually singular] (linguistics)
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  1. a shared language of communication used between people whose main languages are different
    • English has become a lingua franca in many parts of the world.
    Word Originlate 17th cent.: from Italian, literally ‘Frankish tongue’.
See lingua franca in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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noun
 
 
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