plait

1 of 2

noun

1
: pleat
2
: a braid of material (such as hair or straw)
specifically : pigtail

plait

2 of 2

verb

plaited; plaiting; plaits

transitive verb

1
2
a
: to interweave the strands or locks of : braid
b
: to make by plaiting
plait a basket
plaiter noun

Examples of plait in a Sentence

Noun She wore her hair in plaits. she wore a plait down her back that reached her waist Verb My mum taught me how to plait my own hair. plaited the doll's hair so it wouldn't tangle
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.
Noun
In Jamaica, women also wore their curly fros in simple protective styles: buns with a little gel, or loose plaits—while men confidently sported locs at every length or braids in eccentric styles. Essence, 8 Sep. 2024 Elsewhere updos were given new vitality through modern colours and fun plaits. Zoe Anastasiou, refinery29.com, 9 Jan. 2024
Verb
The key difference is that Bora Bora braids are typically plaited in line with the existing length of your natural hair, allowing the remainder of the curly human hair to billow outwards and form the bulk of the hairstyle. Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 29 July 2024 Even Kim Kardashian’s tousled platinum hair was loosely plaited into a fishtail braid in the back. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 7 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for plait 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

variant of pleat entry 2

Verb

variant of pleat entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near plait

Cite this Entry

“Plait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plait. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

plait

1 of 2 verb
1
2
b
: to make by braiding
plaiting a basket
plaiter noun

plait

2 of 2 noun
1
: a flat fold : pleat
2
: a flat braid (as of hair)

More from Merriam-Webster on plait

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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