plait

[pleyt, plat]

noun

1. a braid, especially of hair or straw.

2. a pleat or fold, as of cloth.

verb (used with object)

1. to braid, as hair or straw.

2. to make, as a mat, by braiding.

3. to pleat.

plait

/ plæt /

noun

1. a length of hair, ribbon, etc, that has been plaited

2. (in Britain) a loaf of bread of several twisting or intertwining parts

3. a rare spelling of pleat

verb

1. (tr) to intertwine (strands or strips) in a pattern

Other Word Forms

• interplait verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of plait¹

1350–1400; Middle English pleyt < Middle French pleit < Latin plicitum, neuter of plicitus, past participle of plicāre to fold; ply ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of plait¹

C15 pleyt, from Old French pleit, from Latin plicāre to fold; see _ply ²

Example Sentences

It takes a willingness to understand and honor the hairstyle’s origins and what that plaiting symbolizes to accept that not everybody should flaunt it.

From Salon

A tad dramatic perhaps but to be fair, Woodburn's plaited, platinum bun was iconic.

From BBC

It takes a willingness to understand and honor the hairstyle's origins and what that plaiting symbolizes to accept that not everybody should flaunt it.

From Salon

The young millennial rocked different hairstyles and loved switching it up: a curly Afro one week, two-strand twists the next, micro plaited braids and a range of cornrow designs.

From Los Angeles Times

"My mam plaits it in two plaits so it goes directly between my spine... She has always plaited my hair since so it's kind of a tradition now."

From BBC