fringe

[ frinj ]
See synonyms for: fringefringedfringesfringing on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a decorative border of thread, cord, or the like, usually hanging loosely from a raveled edge or separate strip.

  2. anything resembling or suggesting this: a fringe of grass around a swimming pool.

  1. an outer edge; margin; periphery: on the fringe of the art world.

  2. something regarded as peripheral, marginal, secondary, or extreme in relation to something else: the lunatic fringe of a strong political party.

  3. Optics. one of the alternate light and dark bands produced by diffraction or interference.

verb (used with object),fringed, fring·ing.
  1. to furnish with or as if with a fringe.

  2. to serve as a fringe for, or to be arranged around or along so as to suggest a fringe: armed guards fringing the building.

Origin of fringe

1
1325–75; Middle English frenge<Old French (French frange) <Vulgar Latin *frimbia, metathetic variant of Late Latin fimbria,Latin fimbriae fringe

Other words for fringe

Other words from fringe

  • fringeless, adjective
  • fringelike, adjective
  • fringy, adjective
  • un·der·fringe, noun
  • un·fringe, verb (used with object), un·fringed, un·fring·ing.

Words Nearby fringe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use fringe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fringe

fringe

/ (frɪndʒ) /


noun
  1. an edging consisting of hanging threads, tassels, etc

    • an outer edge; periphery

    • (as modifier): fringe dwellers; a fringe area

  1. (modifier) unofficial; not conventional in form: fringe theatre

  2. mainly British a section of the front hair cut short over the forehead

  3. an ornamental border or margin

  4. physics any of the light and dark or coloured bands produced by diffraction or interference of light

verb(tr)
  1. to adorn or fit with a fringe or fringes

  2. to be a fringe for: fur fringes the satin

Origin of fringe

1
C14: from Old French frenge, ultimately from Latin fimbria fringe, border; see fimbria

Derived forms of fringe

  • fringeless, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012