bead

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈbēd 

1

a

obsolete : prayer

—usually used in plural

b

beads plural : a series of prayers and meditations made with a rosary

2

: a small piece of material pierced for threading on a string or wire (as in a rosary)

3

beads plural

a

: rosary

b

: a necklace of beads or pearls

4

: a small ball-shaped body: such as

a

: a drop of sweat or blood

b

: a bubble formed in or on a beverage

c

: a small metal knob on a firearm used as a front sight

d

: a blob or a line of weld metal

5

: a projecting rim, band, or molding

6

: a precise knowledge or understanding

—used in such phrases as get a bead on

bead

2 of 3

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

beader

3 of 3

noun (2)

bead·​er ˈbē-dər 

plural -s

1

a

: a tool or machine for making a bead (as about the end of a boiler tube)

b

: beading plane

2

: a worker who attaches beads or finishes with beading

3

a

: one that sews together pieces of leather or fabric on a machine which sews with a zigzag stitch

b

: one that machine-sews around collar neckbands to make the seam between collar and neckband flat

c

: one that sews beads by hand onto dresses and other articles of theatrical wardrobes

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.

Synonyms of bead

Noun (1)

• glob
• droplet
• drip
• drop
• globule

Examples of bead in a Sentence

Noun (1)

Beads of sweat began rolling down their faces.

squeeze a bead or two of glue onto the seam

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There’s no actual metal on Pareidolia, just fragments that Muir has excavated from metal’s marginalia and spun into what resembles a kaleidoscope filled with black beads. —Brad Sanders, Pitchfork, 8 June 2026

Escola's custom Wiederhoeft creation featured a lace-up corset in pale blue taffeta with draping at the chest and hips and hand-embroidered metallic blue glass beads. —Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026

Verb

The protective barrier causes water to bead up and roll off, preventing mineral deposits and stains. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 May 2026

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bede prayer, prayer bead, from Old English bed, gebed prayer; akin to Old English biddan to entreat, pray — more at bid entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Verb

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

Noun

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.