ORIGIN OF "LUNATIC FRINGE"

[Fred Shapiro]

The term _lunatic fringe_ was introduced by Theodore Roosevelt in
an article about modern art in the periodical _Outlook_, 29 Mar. 1913.  He
also used the term in two books of his published in that year.

What has never previously been noted, I believe, is that Roosevelt was
playing on an existing phrase referring to hair.  Below are some
citations:

1874 _Oliver Optic's Magazine_ Feb. 140 ff. (American Periodical Series)
"The girls!" exclaimed Miss Lizzie, lifting her eyebrows till they met the
"lunatic fringe" of hair which straggled uncurled down her forehead.

1877 _Christian Union_ 14 Mar. 234 (American Periodical Series)  "LUNATIC
fringe" is the name giving [sic] in New York to the fashion of cropping
the hair and letting the ends hang down over the forehead.

1880 _N.Y. Times_ 21 Mar. 7 (ProQuest)  I am sure "Montagues" are a vast
improvement on those straight abominations, or if you prefer a more
complimentary and man-like name, "lunatic fringe."

1880 _Wash. Post_ 23 Aug. 1 (ProQuest)  Mr. Knowles, Atlanta, hair cut
lunatic fringe, coat cut heart shape, eyes cossed; this lovely creature
wore a diamond the size of a walnut in his left ear.

Fred Shapiro


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Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
Associate Librarian for Collections and     YALE DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS
   Access and Lecturer in Legal Research     Yale University Press,
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