1. Plural of franc; the basic monetary unit formerly used in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and other countries.
Usage: The French franc was replaced by the euro in 2002.; The Swiss franc remains in use as the currency of Switzerland.

Examples

• Before the euro, French shoppers paid for groceries in francs.
• The exchange rate between dollars and francs fluctuated throughout the 1990s.
• She exchanged her dollars for Swiss francs before traveling to Zurich.
• The old franc coins are now collector's items in France.
• Many European countries abandoned the franc when they adopted the euro.