bead

verb

beaded; beading; beads

transitive verb

1

: to furnish, adorn, or cover with beads or beading

2

: to string together like beads

intransitive verb

: to form into a bead

beader noun

Did you know?

The beads you might wear around your neck once represented prayers. The Middle English word bede at first meant “a prayer.” People then, as now, often kept track of the number and order of a series of prayers with the help of a string of little balls. Because each of these balls stands for a prayer, the word bede came to be used for the balls themselves. Today this same word, now spelled bead, is used to refer to any small piece of material with a hole in it for threading on a string or wire.

Examples of bead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Both sides of the material are superhydrophobic, meaning water beads up and rolls off the surface instead of spreading across it. —New Atlas, 25 May 2026

Her glam team kept Davis's makeup simple, opting for a glossy pink lip and shimmering eyeshadow that brought out the jewel tones in the sequins and beading across her floor-length dress. —Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 24 May 2026

Enroll in a Craft Class Many crafts stores offer hands-on activities for kids like scrapbooking, box decorating, bead stringing, pottery, and more. —Robin Westen, Parents, 21 May 2026

That maximalist energy is holding strong for a second summer in a row, but the ongoing love of all things beaded — from statement necklaces to anklets and shoulder bags — is making its way into swimwear. —Lauren Fisher, Footwear News, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing bead

• draw a bead on

Rhymes for bead

• bleed
• brede
• breed
• cede
• creed
• deed
• feed
• freed
• greed
• heed
• keyed
• knead

Kids Definition

bead

1 of 2 noun

ˈbēd 

1

: a small piece of solid material with a hole by which it can be strung on a thread

2

: a small round mass

beads of perspiration

3

: a small knob on a gun used in taking aim

4

: a rim or molding (as on a board or tire) that sticks out

bead

2 of 2 verb

1

: to cover with beads or beading

2

: to string together like beads

3

: to form into a bead

beader noun

Etymology

Middle English bede "prayer, rosary bead," from Old English bed "prayer"

Word Origin

The beads you might wear around your neck once represented prayers. The Middle English word bede at first meant "a prayer." People then, as now, often kept track of the number and order of a series of prayers with the help of a string of little balls. Because each of these balls stands for a prayer, the word bede came to be used for the balls themselves. Today this same word, now spelled bead, is used to refer to any small piece of material with a hole in it for threading on a string or wire. It has also been used to refer to any small, round object such as a drop of sweat.