Frame

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /fɹeɪm/

Definitions

1. A rigid framework that provides shape and support to a physical object ; a cognitive lens or schema that shapes understanding and viewpoints ; a bordered layout used to contain or highlight imagery or text
2. A structural skeleton that supports or encloses an object; a set of assumptions or concepts that guide perception and interpretation; a defined area in media used to display visual components
3. The physical construction forming the outline and support of a thing; a mental structure organizing ideas and beliefs; a visual container used in graphics or presentations to separate content

Etymology: The noun "frame" and the verb "frame" come from two different sources that happen to have merged in English. The verb descends from Old English "framian" and "fremman," meaning to profit, avail or advance, which is also the root of "fremme" and "främja" in modern Scandinavian languages, where the sense of promoting or performing survives. The noun meaning "profit or advantage" developed from the same verb, and also drew on Old Norse "frami," meaning advantage, fame or bravery. The structural sense of "frame" is harder to trace. Its origin is uncertain. Scholars usually treat it as a derivative of the older "frame" meaning profit, since a framework was something built according to a plan. Some have suggested the Old French "frame" or "fraine" as a source, which may itself have been borrowed from English or Norse, or possibly from a Frankish word related to Dutch "raam," meaning window frame.

Synonyms: structure, border, outline

Antonyms: disassembly, dismantle