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Added 9 October 2026

frisk

/fɹɪsk/ noun

In Latin: scrutor Wiktionary

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

The act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs.
he gave the suspect a quick frisk

verb

Play boisterously.
The children frolicked in the garden
Search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets.
The police frisked everyone at the airport

Origin

From Middle English frisk (“lively, frisky”), from Middle French frisque (“lively, jolly, blithe, fine, spruce, gay”), of Germanic origin, perhaps from Middle Dutch frisc (“fresh”) or Old High German frisc (“fresh”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *friskaz (“fresh”). Cognate with Icelandic frískur (“frisky, fresh”). Doublet of fresco and fresh. More at fresh. Alternative etymology derives frisk from an alteration (due to Old French fresche (“fresh”)) of Old French fricque, frique (“smart, strong, playful, bright”), from Gothic *𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌺𐍃 (*friks, “greedy, hungry”), from Proto-Germanic *frekaz, *frakaz (“greedy, active”), from Proto-Indo-European *preg- (“greedy, fierce”).

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

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