first attested in Thomas More (1532). Related: Fried; frying.
fry"young fish," 1293, from Anglo-Fr. frei, from O.Fr. frai "spawn," from froier "to rub, spawn (by rubbing abdomen on sand)." First applied to human offspring 14c. in Scot., though OED traces this usage to O.N. frjo, fræ "seed, offspring."