Synonyms

dreadlocks

American

[dred-loks] / ˈdrɛdˌlɒks /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

a hairstyle, especially among Rastafarians, in which the hair is worn in long, ropelike locks.

dreadlocks British

/ ˈdrɛdˌlɒks /

plural noun

hair worn in the Rastafarian style of long matted or tightly curled strands

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dreadlocks

First recorded in 1955–60; dread + lock ² + -s ³

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.

Dreadlocks are a symbol of strength, and Rastafarians take a vow not to cut them.

From Washington Post • Aug. 3, 2021

But when folks went and explored this situation, what they found is that Philando Castile, who was a -- they called him Mr. Rogers with Dreadlocks in the school that he worked.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2016

The quiff The combover Dreadlocks It's an alarm bed.

From BBC • Sep. 5, 2012

Known affectionately as "Dreadlocks of Doom" by teammates and LSU fans, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers weeks after the Giants selected him in the NFL draft.

From Newsweek • Jun. 25, 2010

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023