braid
Americanverb (used with object)
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to weave together strips or strands of; plait.
to braid the hair.
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to form by such weaving.
to braid a rope.
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to bind or confine (the hair) with a band, ribbon, etc.
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to trim with braid, as a garment.
noun
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a braided length or plait, especially of hair.
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a hairstyle formed by interweaving three or more strands of hair.
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a narrow, ropelike band formed by plaiting or weaving together several strands of silk, cotton, or other material, used as trimming for garments, drapery, etc.
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a band, ribbon, etc., for binding or confining the hair.
verb
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to interweave several strands of (hair, thread, etc); plait
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to make by such weaving
to braid a rope
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to dress or bind (the hair) with a ribbon, etc
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to decorate with an ornamental trim or border
to braid a skirt
noun
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a length of hair, fabric, etc, that has been braided; plait
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narrow ornamental tape of woven silk, wool, etc
adjective
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broad
adverb
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broadly; frankly
Other Word Forms
- braider noun
- well-braided adjective
Etymology
Origin of braid
First recorded before 950; Middle English braiden, breiden (verb), Old English bregdan “to move quickly, move to and fro, weave”; cognate with Old Norse bregtha, Dutch breien
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Those are the two pieces that braid together so nicely.
From Slate • Jan. 10, 2026
Stores sell collectible figures titled “Influencer Trespassing on Private Road”: a woman with a long braid under a wide-brimmed hat, smartphone in hand, in front of a leafy landscape.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025
"I call myself a braid baby because I've been braiding since I was 6 years old," she says, telling me how her family would bond over the skill as her mum proudly looks on.
From BBC • Mar. 29, 2025
They entered the stage in a top hat, white sequined leotard, rhinestone heels, sporting a long, thick braid attached to their hair.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2025
Pond was growing weaker with each passing day, and he only had one more braid of sweetgrass to help with the radiation poisoning.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.