Farang (فرنگ) is a Persian and Southeast Asian word that originally referred to the Franks (the major Germanic tribe) and later came to refer to Europeans in general. The word "Farang" is a cognate and originates from Old French: "franc". Frankish societies emerged in the Middle East, and some Franks traveled to South Asia and Southeast Asia, resulting in some Frankish traditions and foreign words emerging in Asian and Middle eastern environments.