braid

American  

[breyd] / breɪd /

verb (used with object)

1. to weave together strips or strands of; plait.

   to braid the hair.

2. to form by such weaving.

   to braid a rope.

3. to bind or confine (the hair) with a band, ribbon, etc.

4. to trim with braid, as a garment.

---

noun

1. a braided length or plait, especially of hair.

2. a hairstyle formed by interweaving three or more strands of hair.

3. 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.

4. a band, ribbon, etc., for binding or confining the hair.

braid ¹ British  

/ breɪd /

verb

1. to interweave several strands of (hair, thread, etc); plait

2. to make by such weaving

   to braid a rope

3. to dress or bind (the hair) with a ribbon, etc

4. to decorate with an ornamental trim or border

   to braid a skirt

---

noun

1. a length of hair, fabric, etc, that has been braided; plait

2. narrow ornamental tape of woven silk, wool, etc

braid ² British  

/ breɪd, bred /

adjective

1. broad

---

adverb

1. broadly; frankly

Other Word Forms

• braider noun
• well-braided adjective

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

Example Sentences

The remote falls onto the braided rug, and the batteries pop out.

From Literature

Her brown hair was parted down the middle and plaited into two French braids.

From Literature

My braids were streaming behind me and I was smiling really big, too.

From Literature

Lately, she’d been weaving it into six braids while it was still damp so that she could have wavy hair in the morning.

From Literature

I looked down at Rae Ellen’s dirty feet, her yellow braids as straight as two pencils, her scrawny self drowning in a huge pair of overalls.

From Literature

Related Words

• pigtail
• ponytail