Orphrey
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Any elaborate embroidery, especially when made of gold thread; an object (such as clothing or fabric) adorned with such embroidery. obsolete
"There is the lower panelled portion of a parclose screen of a chapel in the south aisle [of Elham Church], of the Early Perpendicular style, of which four compartments are sub-divided into eight; and on each of these, under an ogee-headed and crocketted canopy, is depicted a female saint. Beginning northwards— / 1. Sca [Sancta] Barbara. Crowned and nimbed; habited in a sleeved tunic, having a swan amidst foliage embroidered in gold: her mantle red, with a collar of orphrey fastened by a band; flowing hair; in her right hand a palm branch, in her left a tower."
- 2 a richly embroidered edging on an ecclesiastical vestment wordnet
- 3 An embroidered ornamental band or border on an ecclesiastical vestment, altar frontal, etc.
"Item, another Chaſuble of blue Tiſſue Velvet, with Flowers and Branches of Gold, and in the Orphrey a Picture of the Paſſion of Chriſt, and of either ſide of him an Angel with Chalices in their Hands, two Tunicles and three Albes."
Example
More examples"There is the lower panelled portion of a parclose screen of a chapel in the south aisle [of Elham Church], of the Early Perpendicular style, of which four compartments are sub-divided into eight; and on each of these, under an ogee-headed and crocketted canopy, is depicted a female saint. Beginning northwards— / 1. Sca [Sancta] Barbara. Crowned and nimbed; habited in a sleeved tunic, having a swan amidst foliage embroidered in gold: her mantle red, with a collar of orphrey fastened by a band; flowing hair; in her right hand a palm branch, in her left a tower."
Etymology
From Middle English orfray, orfrei, orefreys (“elaborate (especially gold) embroidery; fabric adorned with such embroidery; embroidered ornamental band or border; decorative elements”), from Anglo-Norman and Middle French orfrais, orfreis, orfrois, and other forms, from Late Latin aurifrasium, aurifrisium, aurifrigium and other forms, from Latin aurum Phrygium (“gold embroidery”, literally “Phrygian gold”), from aurum (“gold”) + Phrygium (neuter singular of Phrygius (“Phrygian”), the Phrygians being renowned for their gold embroidery). The English word is cognate with Late Latin orfrasium, orfresium, Old Occitan aurfre, aurfres, orfres (modern Occitan aurfrés), Spanish orofrés, orifrés.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.