friar

noun

fri·​ar ˈfrī(-ə)r How to pronounce friar (audio)
: a member of a mendicant order

Examples of friar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Francis sought to follow his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century Italian friar renowned for poverty, peace, and care of creation. Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2025 Image Fra Angelico, the Renaissance artist and Dominican friar who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1982, may be the best known. Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 Solidarity with the Santo Spirito friars is growing. Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025 Image Image Today, the convent functions as an infirmary for elderly Dominican friars from the area. Clara Vannucci, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for friar

Word History

Etymology

Middle English frere, fryer, from Anglo-French frere, friere, fraire literally, brother, from Latin fratr-, frater — more at brother

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of friar was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Friar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/friar. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

friar

noun
fri·​ar ˈfrī(-ə)r How to pronounce friar (audio)
: a member of a Roman Catholic religious order for men

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