1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Orphrey

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.