A friar is a member of one of several Catholic religious orders.
Synonyms: monk, brother, religious, prior More Synonyms of friar
friar in British English
(ˈfraɪə)
noun
a member of any of various chiefly mendicant religious orders of the Roman Catholic Church, the main orders being Black Friars (Dominicans), Grey Friars (Franciscans), White Friars (Carmelites), and Austin Friars (Augustinians)
See also Black Friar, Grey Friar, White Friar, Augustinian
Derived forms
friarly (ˈfriarly)
adjective
Word origin
C13 frere, from Old French: brother, from Latin frāterbrother
friar in American English
(ˈfraɪər)
noun
a member of any of various mendicant orders, as a Franciscan or Dominican
Derived forms
friarly (ˈfriarly)
adjective
Word origin
ME frer, frier < OFr frere < L frater, brother
Examples of 'friar' in a sentence
friar
Spanish friars were called in to apply pressure.
Christianity Today (2000)
In other languages
friar
British English: friar NOUN
A friar is a member of one of several Catholic religious orders.
American English: friar
Brazilian Portuguese: frei
Chinese: 修士
European Spanish: fraile
French: frère
German: Mönch
Italian: frate
Japanese: 修道士
Korean: 과거 로마 가톨릭교의 탁발 수사
European Portuguese: frei
Latin American Spanish: fraile
All related terms of 'friar'
Black Friar
a Dominican friar
Friar Minor
a member of either of two of the three orders into which the order founded by St Francis of Assisi came to be divided, namely the Order of Friars Minor and the Order of Friars Minor Conventual
Friar Tuck
a jolly friar who joined Robin Hood's band and aided their exploits
Grey Friar
a Franciscan friar
White Friar
a Carmelite friar , so called because of the white cloak that forms part of the habit of this order
Crutched Friar
a member of a mendicant order, suppressed in 1656
friar's balsam
a compound containing benzoin , mixed with hot water, and used as an inhalant to relieve colds and sore throats