Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Central African CFA franc

Central African CFA franc

6.3
Money used in six Central African countries
  • noun
translation icon : franco CFA de África Central
  • Tourists can easily exchange euros for Central African CFA francs upon arrival in Gabon.

Examples

  • The price of imported goods is often quoted in Central African CFA francs in Cameroon.

  • I exchanged my dollars for Central African CFA francs yesterday.

  • The Central African CFA franc is guaranteed by the French treasury, ensuring its stable exchange rate.

  • The price of the book is 500 Central African CFA francs.

  • You can pay for your meal in Central African CFA francs at most restaurants in Cameroon.

  • During my trip to the Central African Republic, I needed to convert my money into Central African CFA francs.

  • The daily exchange rate for the Central African CFA franc fluctuates slightly against the euro.

Surface Forms

Central African CFA franc singular
Central African CFA francs plural

Morphology

central + African + CFA + franc

The phrase names a currency and is compositionally built from 'Central' + 'African' + 'franc', so a learner who knows those words can infer it refers to a franc used in Central Africa. The only minor obstacle is the initialism 'CFA' (not defined here), but it acts as a regional/institutional label and does not prevent deriving the overall meaning.

Etymology

Central African CFA franc comes from a simple idea: it is the franc used by several Central African countries, and CFA comes from French words meaning a shared money community set up with help from France. Because France promised to help keep its value, the name now means the official 'currency' used by those countries.