Dreadlocks

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈdɹɛdlɒks/

Definitions

1. A style of hair formed by twisting or matting, where locks are often long and coiled, representing cultural significance in various societies and sometimes requiring specific maintenance practices
2. A hairstyle consisting of several rope-like strands that are intertwined and matted to create a distinctive look, often associated with cultural identity and sometimes spirituality
3. A method of hair styling characterized by the formation of elongated, twisted strands, commonly linked to certain cultural traditions and requiring ongoing care and attention

Etymology: The most striking fact is that "dread" in this word originally referred to the awe of God, not to fear of anything. The English noun "dread" meant reverential or respectful fear, the kind of awe a believer feels before the divine. In Jamaica, Rastafarian men who wore their hair in twisted, matted locks came to be called "dreads," and the term reflects the reverence they held for God. The compound was built from that nickname and the plural of "lock," meaning a length or tuft of hair. "Dreadlocks" was borrowed from Jamaican Creole, where "dread" was used as an adjective for things relating to a dread, and the phrase then passed into wider English. It is a plain compound, and its surprise lies in how a word for reverence came to name a hairstyle.

Synonyms: locs, dreads