Link Centre Dictionary

fringe

US/fɹɪnd͡ʒ/ fairly common uk
noun (4) verb (2)

noun

1.
2.

a part of the city far removed from the center

  • “they built a factory on the outskirts of the city”
Synonyms
3.

a social group holding marginal or extreme views

  • “members of the fringe believe we should be armed with guns at all times”
4.

edging consisting of hanging threads or tassels

verb

1.

adorn with a fringe

  • “The weaver fringed the scarf”
2.

decorate with or as if with a surrounding fringe

  • “fur fringed the hem of the dress”

Origin

From Middle English frenge, from Old French frenge, from Vulgar Latin *frimbia, a metathesis of Latin fimbriae (“fibers, threads, fringe”, plural), of uncertain origin. Compare German Franse and Danish frynse. Displaced native Middle English fnæd (“fringe”), Middle English byrd (“fringe”), Middle English fasel (“fringe”) from Old English fæs (“fringe”), and Old English fnæs (“fringe”). Doublet of fimbria.

Phrases

  • donkey fringe
  • fringe benefit
  • fringe dweller
  • fringe time
  • fringe tree
  • fringe-toed lizard
  • gold fringe
  • hoary fringe moss

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.