francophone
1
6.9
- adjective
- /ˈfræŋkəˌfoʊn/
- And it also rekindled economic and cultural contacts with France following a summit of francophone nations in Hanoi in 1997.
- francophone countries
Examples
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The first, associated with the transition in many francophone countries, is centered on the national conference, bringing together representatives of a cross-section of society.
Academic text (1999) -
There are substantial francophone communities throughout Ontario, too, particularly northern Ontario.
Blog text (11) -
As for his academic background, he has a degree in economics from University Desmaraisville, which is the principal francophone university in that province.
Academic text (1996) -
Kinshasa has become one of the largest cities in the francophone world, home to 4 million people and sprawling over 30,000 hectares.
Academic text (1995) -
Montreal is known for its vibrant arts scene and its francophone population, which celebrates French culture.
-
In Africa, several countries have a rich francophone heritage that influences their traditions and education.
-
The francophone community in Canada actively promotes the French language through various cultural events.
Synonyms
10
3.9
Able to speak and understand French
Surface Forms
Morphology
francophone = franco + phone
The meaning is fairly inferable as 'French-speaking', but many B1 learners will not readily recognize 'franco-' as 'French' or '-phone' in the specialized sense 'speaking'.
Etymology
Francophone comes from franc- meaning 'French' and -phone meaning 'voice' or 'sound', the same -phone you see in telephone. So a francophone country or community is one where people speak French.