franchise

Permission from a company to sell its products or services, usually using its name.

• She bought a restaurant franchise.
• The franchise agreement lets him use the company name.
• They sell franchises to business owners across the country.

Similar words: licence

Common phrases: buy a franchise, franchise agreement, restaurant franchise

A group of films, books, games, or shows that share characters or an imagined world.

• The franchise includes three films.
• A new game brings familiar characters from the franchise to life.
• The studio plans another sequel in its most successful franchise.

Common phrases: film franchise, popular franchise, franchise rights

The legal right to vote in a public election.

• Women campaigned for the franchise.
• The law extended the franchise to more citizens.
• Property ownership once determined who held the franchise.

Similar words: suffrage, voting rights

Common phrases: extend the franchise, universal franchise, the electoral franchise

A special right given by a government to a person, group, or company.

• The government granted the company a franchise.
• Its franchise allowed it to operate the local railway.
• The city renewed the water company’s franchise for another decade.

Similar words: concession, privilege

Common phrases: grant a franchise, government franchise, railway franchise

Give others permission to sell your company’s products or services, usually under its name.

• They plan to franchise the business.
• The company franchised its restaurants to independent owners.
• Have you considered franchising your brand overseas?

How to use it: franchise something to someone (They franchised the brand to local business owners.)

Similar words: license

Common phrases: franchise a business, franchise something to, franchise your brand