Friar

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -aɪə(r)
• Homophones: frier, fryer

Origin

Middle English, from Old French frere, from Latin frater ("brother"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European.

Full definition of friar

Noun

1. A member of a mendicant Christian order such as the Augustinians, Carmelites (white friars), Franciscans (grey friars) or the Dominicans (black friars).
2. (printing, dated) A white or pale patch on a printed page.
3. An American fish, the silverside.

Synonyms

• (member of religious order) brother, frater, frater or father

Coordinate terms

• (member of religious order) sister

Derived terms

• friary
• black friar
• grey friar
• white friar