braid

[breyd]

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

/ 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

/ breɪd, bred /

adjective

1. broad

adverb

1. broadly; frankly

Other Word Forms

• braider noun
• well-braided adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of braid¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of braid¹

Old English bregdan to move suddenly, weave together; compare Old Norse bregtha , Old High German brettan to draw a sword

Origin of braid²

Scot variant of _broad

Example Sentences

She said the university introduced the new braided careers programme after noticing that it was struggling to recruit to the course, and that the access to the subject in schools was declining.

From BBC

There is excitement in her eyes, her blonde braids swing back and forth as she recollects villa drama, late-night group chats and fierce online skirmishes, like a war veteran sharing combat stories.

From BBC

She sent him photos of a smiling woman in her 20s with braided hair in a blue nurse's uniform, and images showing a desk with files on it, seemingly snapped during her working day.

From BBC

Yamaguchi is now focusing on making paintings that already feel familiar to her, using forms she’s repeatedly traced and painted over her career: braids, cones, columns, mounds, loopy waves.

From Los Angeles Times

“People think that it started just now,” says Verde, who appears in the video clip in a T-shirt emblazoned with an Aztec god, her hair twisted into braids.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• pigtail 
• ponytail