non-Francophone
|non-fran-co-phone|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˈfræŋkəˌfoʊn/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈfræŋkəfəʊn/
not French-speaking
Etymology
'non-Francophone' originates from English usage combining the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non' meaning 'not') with the word 'Francophone', which itself comes from French 'francophone' (from 'Franco-' meaning 'French' + Greek 'phōnē' meaning 'voice, sound').
'Francophone' entered English from modern French 'francophone' (19th century), formed from 'Franco-' (relating to France/Franks) + Greek 'phōnē' ('voice' or 'sound'). The English prefix 'non-' (from Latin) was later applied to form 'non-Francophone' to denote the negative.
Initially 'Francophone' meant 'French-speaking'; adding 'non-' simply produced the literal negation 'not French-speaking'. The basic meaning has remained stable: 'non-Francophone' denotes the absence of French-speaking affiliation.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who does not speak French (especially in contrast to a Francophone).
Many immigrants arriving in the region were non-Francophone.
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Adjective 1
not French-speaking; not associated with French as a spoken language.
The survey collected data from both Francophone and non-Francophone communities.
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Last updated: 2025/10/31 15:43