frei

Alternative Spellings

fray, frey

Definitions

• (with the particle "out") to become non-religious, "go off the derekh"
• free; liberal, non-religious, the opposite of frum

Example Sentences

• That girl used to be frum (observant) but she went off the derech and now she is so frei that she wears mini-skirts.
• "Did you hear the latest? [Pop icon] Matisyahu frei'd out."

Languages of Origin

Yiddish

Etymology

פֿרײַ fray 'free'

Who Uses This

Orthodox: Jews who identify as Orthodox and observe halacha (Jewish law)
Ashkenazim: Jews with Ashkenazi heritage

Dictionaries

Frumspeak: The First Dictionary of Yeshivish, by Chaim Weiser (Northvale, 1995).

Notes

Pronounced like "fry."