English · Idiom Historical

Grey Friars

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Franciscans fa.v.). Black Friars are Dominicans, and White Friars Carmelites.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Colors Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “Grey Friars” mean?

Franciscans fa.v.). Black Friars are Dominicans, and White Friars Carmelites.

Is “Grey Friars” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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