tress

noun

1
: a long lock of hair
especially : the long unbound hair of a woman
usually used in plural
2
archaic : a plait of hair : braid

Examples of tress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All the seats were occupied by cross and weary passengers, but Laura, with her unmistakable tumbling blue-black tresses, as heavy and shining as a bird’s wing—for me her hair was, literally, the crown of her loveliness—was not among them. Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025 Dyson says the Airstrait uses technology to distribute heat and pressure evenly throughout your tresses, so there’s less damage and more consistent shaping. Brittany Loggins, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025 The Substance actress, whose signature jet-black, silky and sleek hair is usually parted at the center, wore her tresses styled in a wavy blowout with teased bangs by Dimitris Giannetos. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025 Given no choice, María Ángeles acquiesces to her daughter’s wishes and moves into the seniors’ home, where a hilarious exchange with a hairdresser wanting to chop off her long silver tresses typifies her iron-willed refusal to settle in. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tress

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tresse, from Anglo-French tresce

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tress was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tress. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tress

noun
: a long lock of hair

More from Merriam-Webster on tress

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!