friar

[frahy-er]

noun

1. Roman Catholic Church.,  a member of a religious order, especially the mendicant orders of Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, and Augustinians.

2. Printing.,  a blank or light area on a printed page caused by uneven inking of the plate or type.

friar

/ ˈfraɪə /

noun

1. 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

Other Word Forms

• friarly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of friar¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English frier, frere “brother,” from Old French frere, from Latin frāter; brother

Word History and Origins

Origin of friar¹

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

Synonym Study

See monk.

Example Sentences

It was closely associated with the Spanish conquest, Spanish friars acting as de facto colonial administrators and the church becoming a big landowner.

From BBC

A few accounts say friars who presented Guatemalan Mayans to Philip II of Spain in 1544 also gifted him cacao beans.

From Salon

A theologian who later became a Dominican friar, he revolutionised Church teachings with his 1971 book Theology of Liberation.

From BBC

A friar who knew of his struggle encouraged him to start dating a woman, but it didn’t feel natural.

From BBC

Junípero Serra, the controversial Franciscan friar who established the mission system in California, was also on the list.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cleric 
• elder 
• father 
• lama 
• monk 
• preacher 
• rector