FRIAR

friar. Friar, n. a religious brother of some order

---

Fri″ar (?), n. [[OR. frere, F. frère brother, friar, fr. L. frater brother. See Brother.]] 1. 1. (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.
2. 2. (Print.) A white or pale patch on a printed page.
3. 3. (Zoöl.) An American fish; the silversides.
Friar bird (Zoöl.), an Australian bird (Tropidorhynchus corniculatus), having the head destitute of feathers; — called also coldong, leatherhead, pimlico; poor soldier, and four-o'clock. The name is also applied to several other species of the same genus. — Friar's balsam (Med.), a stimulating application for wounds and ulcers, being an alcoholic solution of benzoin, styrax, tolu balsam, and aloes; compound tincture of benzoin. Brande & C. — Friar's cap (Bot.), the monkshood. — Friar's cowl (Bot.), an arumlike plant (Arisarum vulgare) with a spathe or involucral leaf resembling a cowl. — Friar's lantern, the ignis fatuus or Will-o'-the-wisp. Milton. — Friar skate (Zoöl.), the European white or sharpnosed skate (Raia alba); — called also Burton skate, border ray, scad, and doctor.