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
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.
Verb
My grandmother didn’t teach me to fill and braid this beloved pastry. Emily Alben, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024 The cable is braided and comes in three or six feet options. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
The American Girl doll had two long braids, an elegant plaid dress, and black patent-leather shoes. Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024 With his hair knotted up in a pair of double-dutch braids and rocking a baggy black suit with white flames at the knees, MGK ripped through his amped version of the song while strumming a red acoustic guitar. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for braid 

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 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

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
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