fringe

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
: an ornamental border consisting of short straight or twisted threads or strips hanging from cut or raveled edges or from a separate band
a lampshade with a fringe
2
a
: something resembling a fringe : edge, periphery
often used in plural
operated on the fringes of the law
working for years on the fringes of the entertainment industry
b
chiefly British : bang entry 4
wears her hair in a fringe
c
: one of various light or dark bands produced by the interference or diffraction of light
d
: an area bordering a putting green on a golf course with grass trimmed longer than on the green itself
3
a
: something that is marginal, additional, or secondary to some activity, process, or subject
a fringe sport
b
: a group with marginal or extremist views
the politically conservative fringe
fringy adjective

fringe

2 of 2

verb

fringed; fringing ˈfrin-jiŋ How to pronounce fringe (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to furnish or adorn with a fringe
2
: to serve as a fringe for : border

Examples of fringe in a Sentence

Noun a lampshade with a fringe a fringe of moss around the tree a party on the political fringe Verb A jungle fringed the shore. the orchestral pit fringed the edge of the stage
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The fringe number was quite a treat for fans of the artist. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 7 July 2025 Beyond absorbing Powell’s salary, the trade comes at little cost to the Heat, with Anderson just a fringe player in the Heat’s rotation at the end of last season and Love having been shuffled out of the rotation amid the emergence of 2024 first-round pick Kel’el Ware. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
Verb
Rock ledges, fringed with rockweed and knotted wrack, are visible at low tide. Robert Finch june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025 The modest white stucco building was fringed with dead grass. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for fringe

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English frenge, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *frimbia, from Latin fimbriae (plural)

Verb

verbal derivative of fringe entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fringe was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Fringe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fringe. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

fringe

1 of 2 noun
1
: an ornamental border consisting of hanging threads or strips
2
: something suggesting a fringe
lived on the fringe of the forest

fringe

2 of 2 verb
fringed; fringing
1
: to provide or decorate with a fringe
fringed a buckskin jacket
2
: to serve as a fringe for : border
a jungle fringed the shore

Medical Definition

fringe

noun
often attributive
: one of various light or dark bands produced by the interference or diffraction of light

More from Merriam-Webster on fringe

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