braid

1 of 2

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 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

Synonyms of braid

Verb

• plait
• weave
• plat

Noun

• 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

a hat trimmed with braid

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

His reel was spooled with 8-pound test Power Pro braided line with a 10-pound test fluorocarbon leader. — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 4 Nov. 2026

After the hair is parted into sections, each section is twisted or braided. — Eden Stuart, Allure, 26 Oct. 2026

Noun

Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight braid, meant to be modest, but instead accentuating her cordate face and the golden saucers of her eyes. — CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026

Traditional military details, including frogging, soutache, braids and decorative cords, are used as decorative elements in unusual ways — such as appearing on pant legs instead of jackets — rather than references to military rank. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 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

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