Friar \Fri"ar\, n. [OR. frere, F. fr[`e]re brother, friar, fr. L. frater brother. See Brother.] 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. (Print.) A white or pale patch on a printed page. 3. (Zo["o]l.) An American fish; the silversides. Friar bird (Zo["o]l.), 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 (Zo["o]l.), the European white or sharpnosed skate ({Raia alba}); -- called also Burton skate, border ray, scad, and doctor.

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