What does interlaced mean?
Interlaced means intertwined, woven together, or connected through overlapping relationships. The word is especially useful for describing physical patterns, such as branches, vines, threads, or ribbons crossing one another, but it also has a figurative meaning: ideas, histories, or systems can be interlaced to form a rich and complicated whole. The expression is more evocative than simply saying “mixed together,” because it suggests an intentional or intricate arrangement. In its grammatical use, interlaced is the past tense and past participle of interlace. It is generally more common in formal writing and careful description than in everyday conversation, though it remains understandable across British and American English. The word is particularly effective when the connections between separate elements are meaningful, recurring, or difficult to disentangle.
Intertwined or interwoven, often in an alternating or overlapping pattern; figuratively, integrated or connected in a complex whole.
"The novel interlaces two timelines and several distinct families."
Often used in formal or literary contexts, especially when describing a deliberate, intricate pattern of connections.
To intertwine or connect by alternating strands, elements, or relationships.
"The musicians interlaced their melodies until the two themes became indistinguishable."
Interlaced is the past tense and past participle of interlace.
From laces woven together to ideas woven into a story, interlaced captures the satisfying pattern of one thing crossing through another.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does interlaced come from?
Interlaced derives from the verb interlace, formed from the prefix inter-, meaning “between” or “among,” and lace, meaning “to tie or fasten with a cord.” The verb lace has Middle English and Old French roots associated with fastening, binding, or arranging in a lattice. Interlace developed with the sense of joining or threading together, and interlaced preserves that original image of crossing strands.
Related word forms
How interlaced is actually used
The word is relatively formal and literary in its figurative uses. It can suggest either a deliberately woven pattern or a network of connections that is difficult to separate. In grammar, it is the past tense and past participle of interlace.
Easily confused with interlaced
Interlaced describes elements that are physically or figuratively intertwined, whereas intricate describes something with many complicated details.
Interlaced is the standard past-participle and adjective form of interlace, while interlaced can also be used in passive constructions describing an action that has been completed.