braid

1 of 2

verb

braided; braiding; braids

transitive verb

1
a
: to make from braids
braid a rug
b
: to form (three or more strands) into a braid
2
: to do up (the hair) by interweaving three or more strands
3
: mix, intermingle
braid fact with fiction
4
: to ornament especially with ribbon or braid
braider noun

braid

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a length of braided hair
b
: a cord or ribbon having usually three or more component strands forming a regular diagonal pattern down its length
especially : a narrow fabric of intertwined threads used especially for trimming
2
: high-ranking naval officers

Examples of braid in a Sentence

Verb She braids her hair every morning. they taught each other how to braid yarn into bracelets Noun a hat trimmed with braid until she was 15, she had a braid that reached to her knees
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Her hair is braided up with red, white, and beige beads, while the completely black background echoes the artwork for the rodeo queen-nodding standard cover and the artwork for 2022’s Renaissance album. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2024 At least two dozen states have exempted hair braiders from needing a cosmetology or barber license or have decriminalized braiding without a license. Claretta Bellamy, NBC News, 2 Mar. 2024 The child is a Black male with brown eyes and may have his hair braided in cornrows. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2024 Over the past few weeks, as my Vogue colleagues and I delved into global braiding cultures and styles, the topic of wedding braids has come up a few times. Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024 This braided Easter egg bread is pretty enough to be used as the centerpiece on your holiday table. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, protective styles– like Justine Skye’s hybrid extensions and Tyla’s Bahamas braid down– were popular, too. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 22 Jan. 2024 The biggest difference is with the shoes’ stitching: The Tasman has a statement braid around the mouth, whereas the Koolaburra version has a similar but flattened embroidery. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 15 Jan. 2024 By the bridge, the three voices have braided together almost imperceptibly. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
Kamara fell back into this technique when a client of hers came to her in need of boho braids in a pinch. Annie Blay, Allure, 16 Apr. 2024 He was known for wearing his hair long in Lakota tradition and in two braids, seen as support for Native boys shamed and bullied for wearing braids. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024 True accessorized for her big day with pink braids into her hair, which matched her jacket. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024 That night, witnesses said, his braids got tangled in a microphone cable, and a patron attempting to free him cut his hair off without his permission, the Daily Beast reported. Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024 But Badu took umbrage with Bey's hairstyle: long braids with colorful beads, which seemed a bit too similar to a look she's sported in the not-so-distant past. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2024 Burnham rocking braids at the beginning of Season 3 speaks cultural volumes. USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024 On the other hand, 10-pound-test braid or fluorocarbon coupled with a medium-power moderate-action 6 ½- to 7 ½-foot rod is preferred when casting cranks. David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024 Blossoming out of beautifully twisted locs are four extra-thick braids, brought together at the base near the top of the head, and tied off at the ends to leave several inches of straight hair. Marci Robin, Allure, 15 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'braid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English breyden to move suddenly, snatch, plait, from Old English bregdan; akin to Old High German brettan to draw (a sword)

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of braid was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near braid

Cite this Entry

“Braid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/braid. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

braid

1 of 2 verb
1
: to form strands into a braid
2
: to ornament especially with ribbon or braid
braider noun

braid

2 of 2 noun
: a length of cord, ribbon, or hair formed of three or more strands woven together

More from Merriam-Webster on braid

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