What does plaited mean?
Plaited describes strands that have been interlaced to form a braid. It is especially common in reference to hair, but it can also apply to corn, fibres, leather, or other materials arranged in a braided pattern. As the past tense and past participle of the verb plait, it describes the action of making such a braid: a person may plait another person's hair or plait strips of leather into a strap. The word is well established in British English and familiar in American English, where braid is sometimes preferred. Plaited can suggest both practical craftsmanship and visual patterning, making it useful whenever an author wants to emphasize the texture or structure created by interwoven strands.
Made by interlacing strands into a braid; braided or interwoven.
"He wore a crown of plaited flowers."
The adjective normally carries stress on the first syllable.
The past tense and past participle of plait: to braid by interlacing strands.
"The guide plaited the ropes into one strong line."
The verb normally carries stress on the final syllable.
A plait is one of humanity’s oldest technologies for turning separate strands into a stronger, more flexible whole.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plaited come from?
The word comes from Middle English forms connected with Old French and ultimately Latin roots associated with folding or interlacing. The modern spelling plait developed through British usage, while the related verb also appears in the forms pleat and braid with overlapping senses. The Latin root behind cognates such as plicate and plication likewise concerns folding or layering.
Related word forms
How plaited is actually used
The adjectival form normally has initial stress, while the verbal form has final stress. Plait is common in British English and is also used in North American English, although braid is often preferred in everyday American usage.
Easily confused with plaited
Plaited means braided or interwoven, whereas plated means covered with a thin layer of metal.
Plaited refers to strands interlaced into a braid, while pleated describes fabric folded into regular, pressed pleats.