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
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 In the odd moment of grace, like when a butterfly lands on Agnes’ upturned face, or the many gory acts of slaughter and execution, the imagery braids blood and beauty together as in a crown of thorns. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 20 Feb. 2024 The playwright braids the stories of the women in her family into this rich reckoning with constitutional rights. Lisa Kennedy, The Denver Post, 9 Feb. 2024
Noun
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 Practicing in a skirt and with her hair in braids, young Irene became the best in the family. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Growing up [in the Caribbean], my mom used to put my hair in braids a lot. Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024 Many independent hairstylists gain a huge social following based on their in-demand ability to create and execute viral hairstyles like boho braids, freestyle cornrows, and traditional sew-ins that look great in clients’ vacation photos. Annie Blay, Allure, 6 Mar. 2024 At this point, her famous blond hair was bound in school-girl braids. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 Although the language of each law differs across the states that draft them, CROWN Act laws generally prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles that are commonly associated with a particular race or culture, including Black hairstyles like locs, braids or Bantu knots. Chandelis Duster, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 In just one step, a Dutch or French braid adds major style to a basic bun—and distracts from any frizz. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024 This also applies to styling services such as blowouts, braids, and protective styles. Audrey Noble, Vogue, 27 Feb. 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 29 Mar. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!