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

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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

The on-the-fly evolution of several standardized processes did carry some fringe benefits, according to both the developers and actors.
‘Call of Duty’ voice actors spent the summer on video calls like the rest of us|Mike Hume|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
Even with the loopholes, many conservatives are instead turning to more fringe social media platforms, such as Gab and Parler.
‘Stop the Steal’ supporters, restrained by Facebook, turn to Parler to peddle false election claims|Elizabeth Dwoskin, Rachel Lerman|November 10, 2020|Washington Post
The science’s consistent results have helped erode the stigma surrounding hallucinogens and taken them beyond the province of hippies, military experiments, and fringe academics.
What happens when psychedelics make you see God|Sarah Scoles|November 9, 2020|Popular-Science
This alignment would keep Ryne Harper, Kyle McGowin, Dakota Bacus and James Bourque as depth options out of the minors, though McGowin did impress after evolving from fringe starter to slider-dependent reliever.
What’s missing from the Nationals’ roster? Here’s an early look.|Jesse Dougherty|November 6, 2020|Washington Post

There, on the fringes of the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia, hundreds of workers are building two new power generation units to supply more electricity to the 2 million–plus residents of Hohhot, the regional capital.
Xi Jinping’s ‘carbon neutrality’ bombshell leaves China in a climate conundrum|Naomi Xu Elegant|October 31, 2020|Fortune
Doyleys can be cut from eight to twelve inches square, and they should be worked and pressed before fringing.
Harper's Young People, November 30, 1880|Various
Unseen, a mysterious figure hurried on after them, keeping well in the shadow of the trees fringing the side of the road.
When Valmond Came to Pontiac, Complete|Gilbert Parker
He broke through dense shalal, fringing the green woods, making the shore line all but impenetrable.
Indian Legends of Vancouver Island|Alfred Carmichael
This renders climbing difficult and accounts for the large numbers of isolated blocks fringing the base.
The Home of the Blizzard|Douglas Mawson
Almost immediately an answering fire broke out from all the batteries fringing the sea.
A Chapter of Adventures|G. A. Henty

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