braid

1 of 3

verb

ˈbrād 

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 3

noun (1)

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

braider

3 of 3

noun (2)

braid·​er

ˈbrā-dər

plural -s

: one that braids

specifically : a sewing machine attachment for stitching braid in place

Synonyms of braid

Verb

• plait
• weave
• plat

Noun (1)

• lace
• plait
• stripe
• braiding
• lacing

Examples of braid in a Sentence

Verb

She braids her hair every morning.

they taught each other how to braid yarn into bracelets

Noun (1)

a hat trimmed with braid

until she was 15, she had a braid that reached to her knees

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Those experiments could test what happens when quasiparticles are exchanged, or braided around one another. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026

Elsewhere, the actual tablecloth material was dyed, cut into cloth, then braided and bound with leather to give PVC pants and a dress, with its sweet pintucked front panel, heft and structure. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026

Noun

Her signature micro braids were scooped up into a half-up, half-down style with free-flowing tendrils curling around her forehead and cheekbones. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 27 Sep. 2026

In Judge Monica Neuman’s court, a toddler with braids walked in between the rows of benches and dropped milk on the carpet. — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026

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 (1)

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing braid

• box braid
• French braid

Rhymes for braid

• aid
• aide
• bade
• blade
• clade
• dade
• fade
• flayed
• fraid
• frayed
• gade
• glade

Kids Definition

braid

1 of 2 verb

ˈbrād 

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