ringlet

American  

[ring-lit] / ˈrɪŋ lɪt /

noun

1. a curled lock of hair.

2. a small ring or circle.

3. Astronomy. one of the thin or narrow rings that compose the major rings of Saturn.

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ringlet British  

/ ˈrɪŋlɪt /

noun

1. a lock of hair hanging down in a spiral curl

2. any of numerous butterflies of the genus Erebia , most of which occur in S Europe and have dark brown wings marked with small black-and-white eyespots: family Satyridae

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Other Word Forms

• ringleted
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of ringlet

First recorded in 1545–55; ring ¹ + -let

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ringlet

Other notable audience members, including Madonna and Michelle Obama, followed, while actors such as Maya Rudolph, Bowen Yang and Tituss Burgess signed up to don Mary’s ringlet wig as the Broadway run stretched on.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

Jérôme Kaplan’s designs bring a delightful, youthful air to the stage, particularly his graceful, rounded tutus for the swans that land just above the knee, and their white feathered caps and low, ringlet ponytails.

From New York Times ● Feb. 13, 2022

Glimpses of parents and children, a head of tense ringlet curls.

From Slate ● Nov. 26, 2018

A dangling ringlet of orange peel or a yellow floof of cotton candy finishes the towering inferno.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 4, 2016

That little fella with the goldy ringlet, isn’t he gorgeous?

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

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