A friar is a type of Christian monk who lives and works among ordinary people rather than staying isolated in a monastery. The word comes from the Latin frater, meaning “brother,” and friars often call each other “Brother John” or “Brother Thomas.”

Unlike monks who spend most of their time in prayer and work within monastery walls, friars take their religious mission out into towns and cities. They preach, teach, help the poor, and serve their communities. In medieval Europe, friars walked from village to village, often owning nothing but the robes they wore, relying on people's generosity for food and shelter.

The most famous friars belong to orders like the Franciscans (founded by St. Francis of Assisi) and the Dominicans. Friar Tuck, the jovial companion of Robin Hood in English folklore, is probably the most recognizable friar in popular culture. In real history, many friars became scholars and teachers. Several medieval universities were founded by Dominican and Franciscan friars who believed that education and learning served God's purposes.

Today, friars still wear traditional robes (often brown or black) tied with a simple rope belt, and they continue their work of teaching, serving, and living alongside the people they help.