orphrey an ornamental stripe or border, especially one on an ecclesiastical vestment such as a chasuble. Recorded from Middle English, the word comes via Old French from a medieval Latin alteration of auriphrygium, from Latin aurum ‘gold’ + Phrygius ‘Phrygian’ (also used in the sense ‘embroidered’).

orphrey, orfray †rich embroidery XIII; ornamental band on a vestment XIV. Falsely inferred sg. from ME. orphreis taken as pl. — OF. orfreis (mod. orfroi) — medL. aurifrisium, alt. of auriphrygium gold embroidery, i.e. aurum Phrygium ‘Phrygian gold’.