orphrey

American  

[awr-free] / ˈɔr fri /

Also orfray

noun

• orphreys
  plural

1. an ornamental band or border, especially on an ecclesiastical vestment.

2. gold embroidery.

3. rich embroidery of any sort.

4. a piece of richly embroidered material.

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orphrey British  

/ ˈɔːfrɪ /

noun

1. a richly embroidered band or border, esp on an ecclesiastical vestment

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• orphreyed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• orphreys
  plural

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

See Examples For:

orphrey orphreys

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

The lower border and the orphrey with coats of arms do not belong to the original cope and are of somewhat later date.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 3 "Convention" to "Copyright" by Various

No orphrey; no border or outside curve; quasi-hood very small.”

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

The chasuble upon which this orphrey is placed is made of a lovely brocaded silk decorated with falcons, peahens, and roses.

From Embroidery and Tapestry Weaving by Grace Christie

The apparel is also painted on the alb, the orphreys and ornaments on the mitre, and a lozenge-shaped 127pattern on the cushion.

From Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Wells A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Episcopal See by Percy Dearmer

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

Outshone by the shimmer of the orphreys and the stones, the costumes of the other judges appeared darker and discordant.

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

The orphreys were divided into panels representing scenes from the life of the Virgin, and the coronation of the Virgin was figured in colored silks upon the hood.

From The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde