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or·phrey

(ôrfrē) also or·fray (-frā′)

n. pl. or·phreys also or·frays

1. A band of elaborate embroidery decorating the front of certain ecclesiastical vestments.

2. Elaborate embroidery, especially when made of gold.

[Middle English orfrey, alteration of orfreis, from Old French, from Medieval Latin aurifrigium : Latin aurum, gold + Latin Phrygius, Phrygian.]

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orphrey

the early 15th-century Erpingham chasuble, of Italian silk with an English orphrey

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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