frill

American  

[fril] / frɪl /

noun

1. a trimming, as a strip of cloth or lace, gathered at one edge and left loose at the other; ruffle.

2. something resembling such a trimming, as the fringe of hair on the chest of some dogs.

3. affectation of manner, style, etc.

4. something superfluous.

5. Photography. wrinkling or loosening of an emulsion at the edges, usually due to excessively high temperature during developing.

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verb (used with object)

1. to trim or ornament with a frill or frills.

2. to form into a frill.

verb (used without object)

1. Photography. (of an emulsion) to become wrinkled or loose.

frill British  

/ frɪl /

noun

1. a gathered, ruched, or pleated strip of cloth sewn on at one edge only, as on garments, as ornament, or to give extra body

2. a ruff of hair or feathers around the neck of a dog or bird or a fold of skin around the neck of a reptile or amphibian

3. Full name: oriental frill.  (often capital) a variety of domestic fancy pigeon having a ruff of curled feathers on the chest and crop

4. photog a wrinkling or loosening of the emulsion at the edges of a negative or print

5. informal (often plural) a superfluous or pretentious thing or manner; affectation

   he made a plain speech with no frills

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verb

1. (tr) to adorn or fit with a frill or frills

2. to form into a frill or frills

3. (intr) photog (of an emulsion) to develop a frill

Other Word Forms

• friller noun
• frilliness noun
• frilly adjective
• unfrill verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of frill

First recorded in 1585–95; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Measuring about five metres long and weighing two tonnes, the four-legged beasts had large heads, adorned with a distinctive bony frill and three horns.

From BBC • May 19, 2025

Color was a frill, and perhaps an illusion.

From Salon • Nov. 16, 2024

The subject doesn’t require a lot of rhetorical frill to have its effect.

From Slate • Aug. 23, 2024

The ceratopsids vary mostly in their frill patterns and not so much in feeding adaptations, he says: “Their jaws and teeth are more or less built the same way.”

From Science Magazine • Jun. 20, 2024

The Punch and Judy stall was made of striped canvas, red and white, with a frill round the little square stage.

From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill