​ORPHREY, gold or other richly ornamented embroidery, particularly an embroidered border on an ecclesiastical vestment (see Vestments). The word is from O. Fr. orfreis, mod. orfroi, from med. Lat. aurifrisium, aurifrigium, &c., for auriphrygium, aurum, gold, and phrygium, Phrygian; a name given to gold-embroidered tissues, also known as vestes Phrygiae, the Phrygians being famous for their skill in embroidering in gold.