braid
Americanverb (used with object)
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to weave together strips or strands of; plait.
to braid the hair.
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to form by such weaving.
to braid a rope.
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to bind or confine (the hair) with a band, ribbon, etc.
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to trim with braid, as a garment.
noun
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a braided length or plait, especially of hair.
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a hairstyle formed by interweaving three or more strands of hair.
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a narrow, ropelike band formed by plaiting or weaving together several strands of silk, cotton, or other material, used as trimming for garments, drapery, etc.
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a band, ribbon, etc., for binding or confining the hair.
verb
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to interweave several strands of (hair, thread, etc); plait
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to make by such weaving
to braid a rope
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to dress or bind (the hair) with a ribbon, etc
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to decorate with an ornamental trim or border
to braid a skirt
noun
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a length of hair, fabric, etc, that has been braided; plait
-
narrow ornamental tape of woven silk, wool, etc
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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braidsimple
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braidssimple
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have braidedperfect
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has braidedperfect
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am braidingprogressive
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are braidingprogressive
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is braidingprogressive
-
have been braidingperfect progressive
-
has been braidingperfect progressive
Past
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braidedsimple
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had braidedperfect
-
was braidingprogressive
-
were braidingprogressive
-
had been braidingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of braid
First recorded before 950; Middle English braiden, breiden (verb), Old English bregdan “to move quickly, move to and fro, weave”; cognate with Old Norse bregtha, Dutch breien
Explanation
To braid is to lace or weave together. Hair that has been done this way is in braids. Have you ever seen someone with their hair bound together in thick, rope-like arrangements? That hairdo is called braids. Women often braid each other's hair or get it braided by a hairdresser. The longer your hair, the longer your potential braids. To braid hair, you have to weave the strands of hair together: this is also called plaiting, lacing, and interlacing. Other materials can be braided, but the most popular thing to braid is definitely hair.
Vocabulary lists containing braid
Shear Genius: Hairy Vocabulary
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List 1
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Buffalo Dreamer
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I’ll do a long twist of lemon, lime and either orange or grapefruit and braid them together, like you’re braiding hair,” Caporale says.
From Salon ● Jan. 18, 2026
Those are the two pieces that braid together so nicely.
From Slate ● Jan. 10, 2026
Stores sell collectible figures titled “Influencer Trespassing on Private Road”: a woman with a long braid under a wide-brimmed hat, smartphone in hand, in front of a leafy landscape.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2025
"I call myself a braid baby because I've been braiding since I was 6 years old," she says, telling me how her family would bond over the skill as her mum proudly looks on.
From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2025
He wished he’d taken the time to braid his hair, though, rather than putting it up.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Approaching audience members to explore their own feelings about their hair, she receives with surprised saucer eyes encouragement to embrace the braids she has.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
"When I've had my braids when I was younger, people would come up to me all the time and ask and I'd be writing the phone numbers down."
From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026
As police searched for the Tesla, they relayed details over the radio: The suspect’s hair was in braids; she wore a cream-colored blouse; her car was dirty on the bottom.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2026
In New York, lawmakers have introduced legislation that would require manufacturers of synthetic braids and hair extensions to disclose all ingredients.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 19, 2026
“I’m Nora,” whispered a smiling girl with long yellow braids.
From "I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964" by Lauren Tarshis
Another young migrant, 18-year-old Matar Top, who has braided hair, arrived from Senegal three years ago with similar hopes of sending money home.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
When they exchange places, their trajectories become braided together through space and time.
From Science Daily ● May 9, 2026
One theory is that the moniker emerged from a cowpoke misinterpretation of the Spanish word galón, for braided hat-bands.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2026
In June, Prada courted controversy after it showcased sandals that had an open-toe braided pattern that closely resembled the traditional Kolhapuri sandals made in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2025
He trimmed them expertly with his knife, lashed them with braided vines, and in no time at all the dwarf held up a serviceable cage.
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
“I’ll do a long twist of lemon, lime and either orange or grapefruit and braid them together, like you’re braiding hair,” Caporale says.
From Salon ● Jan. 18, 2026
Lives are altered as the salon workers go about their day braiding the hair of customers who range from docile and caring to feisty and acrimonious.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025
A hair braiding shop is more than a salon, it’s a community center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025
Visitors can learn about braiding styles and hair-care techniques passed down through generations.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2025
Stella, braiding her hair into cornrows, came close.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
