English Reference

Word

franks

US/ˈfɹæŋks/

UK/fɹˈæŋks/

Definition

n. short for frankfurters, which are long, thin sausages often served in a bun. You usually eat them at barbecues or ball games.

n. a seasoned smoked sausage made of beef or beef and pork. Often used as a shortened form of 'frankfurters' in informal North American English.

Examples

“We grilled some franks for the kids at the park.”

“The street vendor sold hot franks topped with mustard and sauerkraut to the busy lunchtime crowd.”

“While the gourmet menu featured artisanal sausages, the children specifically requested standard franks served in toasted white buns.”

Examples

simple

“We grilled some franks for the kids at the park.”

contextual

“The street vendor sold hot franks topped with mustard and sauerkraut to the busy lunchtime crowd.”

complex

“While the gourmet menu featured artisanal sausages, the children specifically requested standard franks served in toasted white buns.”

Usage

Typically used in the plural form when referring to the food item; takes plural verb agreement.

Real-World Examples

“In 778, Pope Adrian I wrote to Charlemagne , king of the Franks, who was quickly gaining control over parts of Western Europe.”
Phys.org · 24 Sept 2026

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/franks

English Reference