friar

[ frahy-er ]
/ ˈfraɪ ər /

noun

Roman Catholic Church. a member of a religious order, especially the mendicant orders of Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, and Augustinians.
Printing. a blank or light area on a printed page caused by uneven inking of the plate or type. Compare monk(def 3).

Origin of friar

1250–1300; Middle English frier, frere brother < Old French frere < Latin frāter brother

SYNONYMS FOR friar

1 See monk.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH friar

friar frier fryer

Example sentences from the Web for friar

British Dictionary definitions for friar

friar
/ (ˈfraɪə) /

noun

a member of any of various chiefly mendicant religious orders of the Roman Catholic Church, the main orders being Black Friars (Dominicans), Grey Friars (Franciscans), White Friars (Carmelites), and Austin Friars (Augustinians) See also Black Friar, Grey Friar, White Friar, Augustinian

Derived forms of friar

friarly, adjective

Word Origin for friar

C13 frere, from Old French: brother, from Latin frāter brother