lunatic fringe
noun
members on the periphery of any group, especially political, social, or religious, who hold extreme or fanatical views.
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Origin of lunatic fringe
An Americanism dating back to 1910–15
Words nearby lunatic fringe
lunarscape, lunate, lunate bone, lunatic, lunatic asylum, lunatic fringe, lunation, lunch, lunch counter, lunch hour, lunchbox
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for lunatic fringe
lunatic fringe
noun
the members of a society or group who adopt or support views regarded as extreme or fanatical
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
Cultural definitions for lunatic fringe
lunatic fringe
Derogatory name for the extreme radical members of a group, especially in politics: “The candidate referred to the organization as being on the lunatic fringe of conservatism.” The term was coined by Theodore Roosevelt.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.