francophone, n. and a.
(ˈfræŋkəʊfəʊn)
Also with capital initial.
[f. franco- + Gr. ϕωνή voice.]
A. n. A French-speaking person. B. adj. French-speaking. Hence francoˈphonia; francoˈphonic a.
| 1900 tr. Deniker's Races of Man xiii. 508 In Canada two-thirds of the white population are Anglophones, and the rest Francophones. 1962 Economist 23 June 1192/1 The steady economic waltz of the general's francophonic clients. Ibid. 29 Dec. 1280/2 The theoretically quadrilingual, but in practice largely Francophone, community. 1968 New Statesman 12 Jan. 33/3 It is not exactly France's fault..that the francophone African states are mostly vast in area but poor in population and in natural resources. 1969 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 5 July 5/1 The study employs the terms anglophones, francophones and ‘others’ to denote respectively those who speak English, French or another language in their homes. 1969 Maclean's Aug. 1/1 The man behind this sudden surge of Francophonia..is the paper's new editor-in-chief, Frank Walker. 1971 Guardian 5 June 10/6 The 80 million Francophones on whom President Pompidou rests his case for linguistic parity. |