Word
friar
Phoneticsfri·ar, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɹaɪɝ/
UK/fɹˈaɪə/
Definitions
01religious member
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Religion
n. a man who is a member of a Christian religious group and lives a simple life, often traveling to help people.
n. a member of a mendicant Christian order who, unlike a monk, typically lives and works among the lay public rather than in seclusion.
“The friar traveled between the small villages to teach and help the poor.”
“In medieval literature, the friar is often depicted as a figure who mediates between the high church hierarchy and the common people.”
02printing error
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Printing Technical · Archaic
n. a white or pale spot on a printed page where the ink did not cover the paper correctly.
n. a pale or uninked patch on a printed sheet caused by uneven distribution of ink or a defect in the type.
“The old book had a friar on the third page where the ink was too thin.”
“The master printer discarded the proofs, noting several friars that indicated the rollers were not applying the ink consistently across the chase.”
Usage
In traditional letterpress printing, the opposite of a 'friar' (too little ink) is a 'monk' (too much ink).
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“The church’s pastor, Rick Riccioli , a Franciscan friar originally from Montreal, immediately embraced the exhibition when Buehler approached him.” “Students carefully remove soil with trowels while moving along paths between areas containing the remains of a 17th-century kitchen, a friar's residence, and the surrounding Potano village.” Etymology
PIE word *bʰréh₂tēr From Middle English frere, from Old French frere, from Latin frāter (“brother”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr (“brother”). Doublet of bhai, brother, bru, frater, pal, and vai.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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