noun

1. Archaic freedom from some restriction, servitude, etc.
2. any special right, privilege, or exemption granted by the government, as to be a corporation, operate a public utility, etc.
3. the right to vote; suffrage: usually preceded by the
4. 1. the right to market a product or provide a service, often exclusive for a specified area, as granted by a manufacturer or company
   2. a business granted such a right
5. ☆
   1. the right to own a member team as granted by a league in certain professional sports
   2. such a member team

Etymology: ME < OFr < franc, free: see frank

transitive verb franchised -·chised′, franchising -·chis′·ing

adjective