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fringe

/fɹɪnd͡ʒ/ noun

In Latin: limbus Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about fringe at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. The outside boundary or surface of something.
  2. A part of the city far removed from the center.
    they built a factory on the outskirts of the city
  3. One of the light or dark bands produced by the interference and diffraction of light.

verb

  1. Adorn with a fringe.
    The weaver fringed the scarf
  2. Decorate with or as if with a surrounding fringe.
    fur fringed the hem of the dress

Origin

From Middle English frenge, from Old French frenge, from Vulgar Latin *frimbia, a metathesis of Latin fimbriae (“fibers, threads, fringe”, plural), of uncertain origin. Compare German Franse and Danish frynse. Displaced native Middle English fnæd (“fringe”), Middle English byrd (“fringe”), Middle English fasel (“fringe”) from Old English fæs (“fringe”), and Old English fnæs (“fringe”). Doublet of fimbria.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)