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francophone

francophone

1 4.5
A person who speaks French as their first language or speaks it fluently
  • noun
  • /ˈfræŋkəˌfoʊn/
: francófono
  • Naturally, this issue has been strikingly different for francophones on both sides of the border.
  • francophone Africa

Examples

  • Many francophones will repeat these claims and adopt French civilization as their own without the slightest criticism.

    Academic text (2006)
  • As a francophone, she felt at ease conversing in French during her visit to Paris.

  • At the same time, Quebecers are perfectly aware of the needs of the francophone majority and the rights of its anglophone national minority.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Meanwhile, Benin's stunning national conference in 1990, which promised transition to democracy through elections, strengthened the cries for multipartisme in francophone Africa specifically.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Many francophone Quebecers argue that policies such as official bilingualism are unlikely to secure their distinctive language and culture; hence, a more interventionist approach, involving (for instance) minor restrictions on the use of English in certain contexts, is required as well.

    Academic text (1999)
  • This study focuses on Senegal, a low-income francophone West African country that is suffering from a critical shortage of skilled health personnel, including those essential for maternal care: midwives, obstetricians, anaesthetists, and paediatricians.

    Blog text (28)
  • Many francophone communities celebrate their cultural heritage through festivals and events.

  • The francophone population in Canada plays a vital role in the country's bilingual identity.

How Fluent

francophone
1 4.5

Surface Forms

francophone singular
francophones plural

Morphology

francophone = franco + phone

The word is built from the combining forms franco- and phone, so the meaning 'French-speaking person' is fairly inferable but not fully transparent for an average learner.

Etymology

Francophone comes from franc- meaning 'French' and -phone meaning 'voice' or 'sound', like the -phone in telephone. So a francophone is a person who speaks French.