Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
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).
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
late 13c., from Old French frere “brother, friar” (9c.), originally the mendicant orders (Franciscans, Augustines, Dominicans, Carmelites), who reached England early 13c., from Latin frater “brother” (see brother).