English
orphrey
Orphrey comes from Middle English orfray ‘elaborate embroidery’, from Latin aurum ‘gold’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- ‘to dawn, become light, become red’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ews-‘to dawn, become light, become red’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éws-o-mreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*auzom‘gold’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaurum‘gold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaurum Phrygium‘gold embroidery’literally ‘Phrygian gold’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEaurifrasium
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600orfrais
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500orfray‘elaborate embroidery’
- Englishearliest quotation 1553orphrey
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ews-‘to dawn, become light, become red’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éws-o-mreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*auzom‘gold’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaurum‘gold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaurum Phrygium‘gold embroidery’literally ‘Phrygian gold’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEaurifrasium
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600orfrais
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500orfray‘elaborate embroidery’
- Englishearliest quotation 1553orphrey
Earliest quotation: 1553, William Dugdale, Taken the Eighteenth Day of May: “Item, another Chaſuble of blue Tiſſue Velvet, with Flowers…”
The story
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.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- ‘to dawn, become light, become red’
air, east, plane, aerial, exhaust, malaria, aura, aurora, aria, aero, austral, 62 more
through Latin aurum ‘gold’
Today it means
noun Any elaborate embroidery, especially when made of gold thread; an object (such as clothing or fabric) adorned with such embroidery.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- / orphrey