friar Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a male member of a religious order that originally relied solely on alms
mendicant.

OR. frere, F. frère brother, friar, fr. L. frater brother. See Brother.

(R. C. Ch.) A brother or member of any religious order, but especially of one of the four mendicant orders, viz: (a) Minors, Gray Friars, or Franciscans. (b) Augustines. (c) Dominicans or Black Friars. (d) White Friars or Carmelites. See these names in the Vocabulary.
(Print.) A white or pale patch on a printed page.
(Zoöl.) An American fish; the silversides.