fringe

[frinj]

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.

   Synonyms: rim, skirt, border, edge

3. an outer edge; margin; periphery.

   on the fringe of the art world.

4. something regarded as peripheral, marginal, secondary, or extreme in relation to something else.

   the lunatic fringe of a strong political party.

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

6. fringe benefit.

verb (used with object)

fringed, fringing 

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.

fringe

/ frɪndʒ /

noun

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

2. 1. an outer edge; periphery

   2. ( as modifier )

      fringe dwellers

      a fringe area

3. (modifier) unofficial; not conventional in form

   fringe theatre

4. a section of the front hair cut short over the forehead

5. an ornamental border or margin

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

verb

1. to adorn or fit with a fringe or fringes

2. to be a fringe for

   fur fringes the satin

Other Word Forms

• fringeless adjective
• fringelike adjective
• fringy adjective
• underfringe noun
• unfringe verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of fringe¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of fringe¹

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

Example Sentences

I remember being in San Francisco and seeing drag that wasn’t as polished and more on the fringe side of it.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The writers of antiquity thought very little of the people who lived on the fringes of their own empires and had even less regard for the societies that existed beyond them.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Now, she’s a mom on the edge, a woman resigned to life’s fringes, where she must tiptoe around live grenades so as not to make anything worse.

Read more on Salon

They eschewed the opportunity to acquire big-name arms in favor of a collection of pitchers on the fringes of the market with plenty of upside—but even more question marks.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Still, they acknowledge this isn’t fringe science akin to widely refuted claims that vaccines are linked to autism.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• brink 
• edge 
• hem 
• outskirts 
• perimeter 
• periphery 
• skirt 
• verge