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

Explanation

Use the noun frill when you talk about a decorative strip used as trim. You might have a frill along the bottom of your favorite skirt. The pleated trim or ruffle at the hem of a sweater or along the bottom of a sofa slipcover can be called a frill. You can also use the word in a more figurative way, to describe anything that's merely extra or for decoration: "The beginning of his speech was nothing but a frill," or "We need to work on our budget — first, let's cut out the frills, like getting our shoes shined and eating out every night."

Example Sentences

It promised that the scorched frill at the bottom of a skillet was not failure, but the start of a sauce.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2025

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

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

I make most of them myself and was wearing my apron with the frill.

From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck