fringe

[ frinj ]

/ frɪndʒ /

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See synonyms for: fringe / fringed / fringes / fringing on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

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

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

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

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

fringe benefit.

verb (used with object), fringed, fring·ing.

to furnish with or as if with a fringe.

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

OTHER WORDS FOR fringe

2 edge, border, skirt, rim.

See synonyms for fringe on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of fringe

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

OTHER WORDS FROM fringe

fringeless, adjectivefringelike, adjectivefringy, adjectiveun·der·fringe, noun

un·fringe, verb (used with object), un·fringed, un·fring·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use fringe in a sentence

It is more comforting to associate bigotry with certain attitudes supposedly on the fringes of public life.
Why Bigotry Persists|Stephen Eric Bronner|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As sunset approaches, the visible fringes of the horizon glow orange.
Whatever You Do Someone Will Die. A Short Story About Impossible Choices in Iraq|Nathan Bradley Bethea|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Smith survived the night patrol, and met Tolkien again on the fringes of the Battle of the Somme that summer.
Why World War I Is at the Heart of ‘Lord of the Rings’|John Garth|July 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But right now this grassroots reaction mainly finds its expression from the political fringes.
Dawn of the Age of Oligarchy: the Alliance between Government and the 1%|Joel Kotkin|June 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The fringes of the scarf lead to a collection of kitsch photos colored in purple dye.
Shining a Spotlight on Mexico’s Iconic Textile—the Rebozo|Liza Foreman|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the ocean had only half its existing area, the lands would be so wide that only their fringes would be fertile.
Outlines of the Earth's History|Nathaniel Southgate Shaler
He left the guards at the fringes of his engineers' forest and rode the eight-legged reptile recklessly among the huge trunks.
The Envoy, Her|Horace Brown Fyfe
Earlier, Davy had asked Paul Curtis to find if his voice was reaching the remote fringes of the audience.
David Lannarck, Midget|George S. Harney
Set up everywhere are coloured umbrellas with fringes of coloured beads, as large as those used for tents on lawns sometimes.
Round the Wonderful World|G. E. Mitton
All about were stumps and fringes of pines, which the lumbermen, for some good reason, had passed by.
Wayside Courtships|Hamlin Garland

British Dictionary definitions for fringe

fringe

/ (frɪndʒ) /

noun

an edging consisting of hanging threads, tassels, etc

an outer edge; periphery
(as modifier)fringe dwellers; a fringe area

(modifier) unofficial; not conventional in formfringe theatre

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

an ornamental border or margin

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

verb (tr)

to adorn or fit with a fringe or fringes

to be a fringe forfur fringes the satin

Derived forms of fringe

fringeless, adjective

Word Origin for fringe

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

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

fringe

OTHER WORDS FOR fringe

Origin of fringe

OTHER WORDS FROM fringe

Words related to fringe

How to use fringe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fringe

Derived forms of fringe

Word Origin for fringe