orphrey
Americannoun
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orphreys
plural
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an ornamental band or border, especially on an ecclesiastical vestment.
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gold embroidery.
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rich embroidery of any sort.
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a piece of richly embroidered material.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of orphrey
1300–50; Middle English orfreis (later construed as plural) < Old French < Medieval Latin aurifrisium, variant of aurifrigium, for Latin phrase aurum Phrygium gold embroidery, literally, Phrygian gold
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
This sprang from the tailors' way of seaming together strips of fabric, which were then reinforced with a decorative vertical band called an orphrey.
From Time Magazine Archive
How they clothe their figures in every conceivable splendor of orphrey and ermine, in jewels and shining armor and rich stuff of silk and samite, in robe of scarlet or in yellow dalmatic!
From The Age of the Reformation by Preserved Smith
In the orphrey are kings, queens, archbishops, and bishops.
From Needlework As Art by Marianne Margaret Compton Cust, Viscountess Alford
An embroidered orphrey in the Victoria and Albert Museum belongs to the early part of the same century.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 3 "Electrostatics" to "Engis" by Various
His long beard floated like a white cloud upon the star-like clusters of jewels constellating the orphrey robe fitting tightly over his breast.
From Against the Grain by J.-K. (Joris-Karl) Huysmans
Less essential are the orphreys on the hem of the arms and the fringes along the slits at the sides and the lower hem.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 9 "Dagupan" to "David" by Various
It was a magnificent piece of work, of shimmering gold, with orphreys embroidered with arms; and she stroked out its folds with obvious pride.
From The King's Achievement by Robert Hugh Benson
About their necks were brilliant collars with orphreys crusted, as were the robes, with carbuncles.
From Là-bas by Keene Wallace
This is splendidly engraved in Von Bock’s “Kleinodien” amongst the coronation robes of the Emperors of Germany, and is adorned with the richest golden orphreys, imitating jewellers’ work, enriched with pearls and silver bells.
From Needlework As Art by Marianne Margaret Compton Cust, Viscountess Alford
From this time onward, however, the embroidery became ever more and more elaborate, and with this tendency the orphreys were broadened to allow of their being decorated with figures.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 8 "Chariot" to "Chatelaine" by Various
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