fringe

 
Pronunciation: /frɪn(d)ʒ/

noun

  • 1an ornamental border of threads left loose or formed into tassels or twists, used to edge clothing or material: a long grey skirt with a fringe the fringes of a prayer shawl
  • 2chiefly British the front part of someone’s hair, cut so as to hang over the forehead: she smiled as she pushed her fringe back out of her eyes
  • a natural border of hair or fibres in an animal or plant: a long fringe of hair on the tail
  • 3 (often the fringes) the outer, marginal, or extreme part of an area, group, or sphere of activity: his uncles were on the fringes of crooked activity
  • (the Fringe) a secondary festival on the periphery of the Edinburgh Festival: she became noted for her work on the Fringe
  • 4a band of contrasting brightness or darkness produced by diffraction or interference of light.
  • a strip of false colour in an optical image.
  • 5North Americanshort for fringe benefit. we offer the highest salary and fringes in the country

verb (fringes, fringing, fringed)

[with object]
  • decorate (clothing or material) with a fringe: a rich robe of gold, fringed with black velvet
  • form a border around (something): the sea is fringed by palm trees
  • (as adjective fringed) (of a plant or animal) having a border of hair or fibre: the fringed green leaves

Derivatives

fringeless

adjective

fringy

adjective

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French frenge, based on late Latin fimbria, earlier a plural noun meaning 'fibres, shreds'