'Francophone' originates from French, specifically the word 'francophone', where the prefix 'franco-' meant 'French' and the suffix '-phone' (from Greek 'phōnē') meant 'voice/sound' or 'speaker'.

'Francophone' was borrowed into English from French 'francophone' (itself formed from French 'franco-' + Greek-derived '-phone') in the late 19th to early 20th century and adopted into modern English with little formal change.

Initially it meant 'French-speaking' or 'French-sounding' and over time the meaning has remained primarily 'French-speaking' (applied to people, communities, or regions).