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
Cornell, likewise, highlighted admitted applicants whose interests braided together cryptography and disaster relief runs, air pollution research and Habitat for Humanity volunteer work, Crohn’s Disease research and efforts to save local pollinators. Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Just like the series’ central character Reda is between two worlds, between two communities, the Arab and Corsican, its story braids two genres. John Hopewell, Variety, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
The final moment with Belair whipping Banks with her braid and then hitting the KOD remains one of the best moments in the modern era. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025 Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images This isn’t the first time Mulligan has gone short, nor experimented with twists and braids. Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Braid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/braid. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!