1. a landowner of free but not noble birth in medieval England
Usage: historical
2. a middle-class landowner or farmer
Usage: archaic

Examples

• The franklin owned several acres of farmland in the countryside.
• In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the Franklin is portrayed as a wealthy landowner.
• Medieval franklins held an important position between the nobility and common peasants.
• The franklin’s house was known for its generous hospitality.
• Unlike serfs, a franklin was free to buy and sell land.
• The term franklin described a specific social class in feudal England.