noun

fringe

frihnj

noun

A decorative border of hanging threads or tassels.

"The lampshade was trimmed with a silk fringe."

The edge or outer part of something, away from the main or central area.

"They live on the fringe of the city."

"His views are seen as being on the fringe of the party."

British English: hair that is cut to hang down over the forehead (American English: bangs).

"She got her fringe trimmed before the interview."

adj

Outside the mainstream; unconventional or extreme.

"The film played at a fringe theatre festival."

verb

To form a border along the edge of something.

"Tall pine trees fringed the lake."

How to Use Fringe

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn edge or border (of fabric, of a group, of an area), or in the UK, hair cut across the forehead.

UK vs US

Fringe (hair) is British English; Americans say "bangs".

Common pairings

fringe benefits the lunatic fringe a fringe group

more fringe comparative, fringer comparative, fringed past tense, fringes plural, fringes singular, most fringe superlative, fringest superlative

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The lampshade was trimmed with a silk _____.

From Old French frenge, ultimately from Latin fimbriae ("threads, fringe"); related to the biological term "fimbria".

Inge singe hinge binge tinge twinge cringe syringe