labret

American

[ley-bret] / ˈleɪ brɛt /

noun

an ornament worn in a pierced hole in the lip.

labret British

/ ˈleɪbrɛt /

noun

a piece of bone, shell, etc; inserted into the lip as an ornament by certain peoples

"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 labret

1855–60; < Latin labr ( um ) lip + -et

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.

Among the means taken by these people to produce personal ornamentation that of tattooing the face and wearing a labret is the most noticeable.

From The First Landing on Wrangel Island With Some Remarks on the Northern Inhabitants by Rosse, Irving C. (Irving Collins)

It is worn for ornament, the same as ear-rings or nose-rings, and is called a labret.

From Oregon, Washington and Alaska; Sights and Scenes for the Tourist by Lomax, E. L. (Edward Lloyd)

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