fringe
Americannoun
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a decorative border of thread, cord, or the like, usually hanging loosely from a raveled edge or separate strip.
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anything resembling or suggesting this.
a fringe of grass around a swimming pool.
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an outer edge; margin; periphery.
on the fringe of the art world.
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something regarded as peripheral, marginal, secondary, or extreme in relation to something else.
the lunatic fringe of a strong political party.
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Optics. one of the alternate light and dark bands produced by diffraction or interference.
verb (used with object)
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to furnish with or as if with a fringe.
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to serve as a fringe for, or to be arranged around or along so as to suggest a fringe.
armed guards fringing the building.
noun
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an edging consisting of hanging threads, tassels, etc
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an outer edge; periphery
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( as modifier )
fringe dwellers
a fringe area
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(modifier) unofficial; not conventional in form
fringe theatre
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a section of the front hair cut short over the forehead
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an ornamental border or margin
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physics any of the light and dark or coloured bands produced by diffraction or interference of light
verb
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to adorn or fit with a fringe or fringes
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to be a fringe for
fur fringes the satin
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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fringyadjective
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fringelessadjective
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fringelikeadjective
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underfringenoun
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unfringeverb (used with object)
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has fringedperfect 3rd person singular
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have fringedperfect
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is fringingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been fringingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are fringingprogressive
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am fringingprogressive 1st person singular
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fringessingular 3rd person
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have been fringingperfect progressive
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fringingparticiple
Past
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had fringedperfect
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had been fringingperfect progressive
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was fringingprogressive singular
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were fringingprogressive plural
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fringedsimple
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fringedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of fringe
1325–75; Middle English frenge < Old French ( French frange ) < Vulgar Latin *frimbia, metathetic variant of Late Latin fimbria, Latin fimbriae fringe
Explanation
If you make cutoffs from jeans, the little white strings around the edges of the legs make a fringe. A fringe is a decorative edge made of hanging strings of fabric. You know how fringe hangs on the edge of fabric and clothing? Think of this picture when you see fringe used metaphorically to mean something that is on the outer boundaries of something else. Many cities hold events called fringe festivals that celebrate art created on the fringe of the established art world. A group of people whose beliefs place them on the outskirts of a social group is called a fringe group. And beware of the lunatic fringe — they are the extremists and fanatics of a social or political movement.
Vocabulary lists containing fringe
The House on Mango Street
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Shear Genius: Hairy Vocabulary
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The One and Only Ivan
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His affection for standard tunes brought startlingly new vitality to such unlikely songs as “The Surrey With the Fringe on Top.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
When asked if he was a Jew, Jonathan Miller, then a member of the English comedy group Beyond the Fringe, answered, no, but “I’m Jew-ish.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
He was clad in pink lycra and running on a treadmill for the whole hour of his Edinburgh Fringe show.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
The play, which opened Tuesday at the Ahmanson Theatre, was a runaway hit at the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
Fringe in both sexes white, uninterrupted by dark bars.
From British Butterfiles Figures and Descriptions of Every Native Species by Coleman, W. S. (William Stephen)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
