fry

1 of 3

verb

ˈfrī 

fried; frying

transitive verb

1

: to cook in a pan or on a griddle over heat especially with the use of fat

2

slang : electrocute sense 2

3

: to damage or destroy (an electrical device or its circuitry) by overheating especially as a result of unusually high voltage

intransitive verb

1

: to undergo frying

2

: to get very hot or burn as if being fried

bodies frying on the beach

fry

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural fries

1

: a social gathering or picnic where food is fried and eaten

a fish fry

2

a

: a dish of something fried

b

: french fry

—usually plural

a burger and fries

c

: a vegetable prepared in the style of a french fry

—usually plural

carrot fries

fry

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural fry

1

a

: recently hatched or juvenile fishes

b

: the young of other animals

2

: very small adult fishes

3

: members of a group or class : individuals

small fry

Examples of fry in a Sentence

Verb

They fried some chicken for us.

We could smell the onions frying.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Plus, keep those pearly whites sparkling with the $17 SmileDirectClub Teeth Whitening Kit and treat your hair without frying it using the Dyson Airwrap Hair Styling Tool, on sale for over $120 off its usual price with an on-site coupon. —Phoebe Sklansky, Health, 24 Nov. 2023

The set includes sugar cookies, caramels, Champagne bubbles, cordials, cookie dough, sours, and cookie bites. Price at time of publish: $30 Hanukkah memories are full of latkes frying on the stove, dreidels spinning on the floor, sweet jelly doughnuts, and the menorah glowing in the background. —Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023

So frying in oil is an essential part of the holiday. —Leah Koenig, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023

For this Stockton, California, native, the Juneteenth menu often includes macaroni and cheese, gumbo, cornbread, greens, and fried chicken. —Danielle Broadway, Parents, 18 Nov. 2023

Or, pan fry it alongside Panko breadcrumbs and sprinkle them on top. —Bryce Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2023

This mode has three heat settings to choose from depending on your hair type, but none of them reach temperatures beyond 212 degrees Fahrenheit, so rest assured your hair won't fry from these gentle yet effective settings. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 14 Nov. 2023

From frying up eggs to making a delicious sauce, this pan does it all. —Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2023

This one has an air frying basket in addition to convection cooking ability. —Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 10 Nov. 2023

Noun

These models are ideal for making foods that need to be tossed around frequently to ensure even browning—things like fries, tots, or roasted veggies. —Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 27 Nov. 2023

At New York’s Red Hook Lobster Pound, a lobster roll and fries will set you back $32, a price that the restaurant had tried to avoid for a while. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 15 Nov. 2023

Hamburgers and fries blend with shiny sparkles, silver dresses and bracelets as groups of 20-somethings indulge in a pre-show beauty rituals. —David Feliba, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023

For those who want to rep the most classic McDonald’s look, try the classic clog — a red pair of Crocs that include charms in the shape of fries, Big Macs and McNuggets. —Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023

Partners Kevin Hickey and Brandon Phillips of The Duck Inn will oversee the culinary and beverage programs of the grill, respectively, with a menu promising snackable and shareable bites, sandwiches, burgers, fries and chili — Ramova Grill’s signature dish. —Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 14 Nov. 2023

Here’s your guide to the most iconic burgers and wondrous French fries in the city. —Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023

Luckily in my experience, an adjacent table will laugh off my kiddo’s meltdown over the consistency of their applesauce side, and the staff also seems to understand if a French fry gets launched across the room every so often. —Melissa Willets, Parents, 31 Oct. 2023

Based on the chain’s nutritional data, that adds up to 2,880 calories, 45 grams of protein, almost 400 grams of carbs and more than 1,000 grams in fries — or around 2.25 pounds. —Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English frien, from Anglo-French frire, from Latin frigere to roast; akin to Greek phrygein to roast, fry, Sanskrit bhṛjjati he roasts

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French frie, from freier, frier to rub, spawn — more at fray entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing fry

• deep-fry
• french fry
• fry bread
• fish fry
• stir-fry
• pan fry
• small fry
• fry-up
• fish to fry
• Hangtown fry

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• deep-fry
• french fry
• fry bread
• fish fry
• stir-fry
• pan fry
• small fry
• fry-up
• fish to fry
• Hangtown fry

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Kids Definition

fry

1 of 3 verb

ˈfrī 

fried; frying

: to cook in fat or oil

fry

2 of 3 noun

plural fries

1

: something fried

especially : french fry entry 1

—usually used in plural

steak and fries

2

: a get-together where fried food is eaten

a fish fry

fry

3 of 3 noun

plural fry

1

a

: recently hatched or young fish

b

: the young of animals other than fish

2

: very small adult fish

3

: members of a group or class : individuals

small fry

Etymology

Verb

Middle English frien "to fry," from early French frire (same meaning), from Latin frigere "to roast"

Noun

Middle English fry "recently hatched fish," from early French frie (same meaning), from freier, frier "to rub, spawn"

Biographical Definition

Fry

biographical name

ˈfrī 

Christopher 1907–2005 English dramatist